Jai Arrow’s fiancée Berina Colakovic has revealed the difficult family decisions they now face following the former NRL star’s devastating motor neurone disease diagnosis, including whether to have another child.
The couple’s emotional comments come just days after the rugby league world was rocked by the news that Arrow had been diagnosed with MND at just 30 years of age.
The disease has forced the South Sydney favourite into immediate retirement and left one of rugby league’s most popular figures facing the fight of his life.
Arrow and Colakovic spoke candidly about the diagnosis during an emotional radio interview on Friday, opening up about the uncertainty surrounding their future and the difficult conversations they are now being forced to have.
The pair became engaged during a romantic holiday in Italy in October 2024 and welcomed daughter Ayla Rae in early 2025.
Like many young families, they had spoken about what the future might look like and whether Ayla would eventually have siblings.
South Sydney Rabbitohs star Jai Arrow made the heart-breaking announcement that he had been diagnosed with MND last week
Jai Arrow and fiancée Berina face difficult family decisions following his devastating MND diagnosis
Berina admits she always hoped daughter Ayla would one day have a sibling
Now those plans are being viewed through an entirely different lens.
‘I would love Ayla to have a brother or sister,’ Colakovic said.
‘But even with stuff like that, those are big discussions given the disease and lifespan.
‘Those are probably big personal milestones – but to be honest, I’m happy to go wherever he wants to go.’
The admission highlighted the reality confronting the couple as they navigate life following the diagnosis.
Colakovic also spoke about the emotional toll of watching Arrow’s symptoms develop before doctors finally confirmed what was wrong.
‘I think in the lead-up to the diagnosis, I was in a bit of denial,’ she said.
‘It kind of spiralled into him losing a bit of his voice and that being very visible.
Arrow has vowed to keep fighting for fiancée Berina and their daughter Ayla’s future
Queensland paid tribute to Arrow during Origin week by naming him honorary 21st player
‘He’s 30, right? We have a little one at home, she’s just turned one. So for me it was very, very hard.’
Arrow revealed he had noticed something was wrong long before receiving his diagnosis.
The first signs appeared while he was still playing professionally, with his body no longer responding the way it once had.
‘I noticed my shoulder was twitching and a lot of weakness,’ Arrow said.
‘I noticed a lot of things leading up to that. That was a major sign for me and playing, I felt weak, I felt not myself.
‘And then when I noticed my speech started to go, that’s when I was like, “Alright buddy, what is going on here?”‘
As the symptoms became more obvious, medical testing eventually confirmed the devastating diagnosis.
Motor neurone disease is a progressive neurological condition that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling muscles. It affects movement, speech, swallowing and eventually breathing.
Arrow’s diagnosis forced the immediate end of his distinguished rugby league career
Arrow says support from across Australia has been overwhelming since diagnosis announcement
While MND Australia states average life expectancy following diagnosis is generally between two and three years, progression varies significantly between patients.
When asked whether they had received a prognosis from doctors, Colakovic delivered one of the interview’s most emotional moments.
‘We don’t want to know,’ she said.
The response reflected the approach the couple are taking as they focus on making the most of the time ahead rather than dwelling on statistics.
Arrow made it clear his focus remains firmly on his young family.
‘(The prognosis) for me, it’s be around for my daughter and Berina for as long as I can,’ he said.
‘And she knows I’ll do that.
‘I’ll fight, and I’ll beat it – I will.’
The couple revealed they do not want to know Arrow’s medical prognosis as they face an uncertain future
The former Queensland Origin star also admitted he has no explanation for why he developed the disease at such a young age.
‘I don’t know,’ Arrow said.
‘It’s one of those weird ones where it is what it is for me at the moment.’
Arrow’s diagnosis has prompted an extraordinary outpouring of support from across rugby league and beyond.
Current and former players, coaches, clubs and fans have rallied behind the forward, who has long been regarded as one of the game’s most respected figures.
The support extended to Queensland’s State of Origin camp this week.
Despite being forced into retirement, Arrow was invited into camp by Maroons coach Billy Slater and travelled to Sydney with the squad ahead of Origin I.
Queensland went a step further by naming him their honorary 21st player for the match and allocating him his own locker in the dressing room.
Arrow also joined players for team functions throughout the week as former teammates rallied around him.
Slater said the invitation was never about using Arrow’s diagnosis as motivation.
Instead, it was about supporting a mate.
‘The boys get a kick out of seeing their mate … and he’s still the same Jai,’ Slater said.
‘He’s obviously going through a bit, and his speech is failing him a little bit, but he’s still got the same sense of humour. I can tell he still loves being a Queenslander.’
‘Jai’s one of those guys that loves being around his mates, his teammates, a footy environment. He’s the life of the party.’
Arrow played 178 NRL matches across stints with the Broncos, Titans and Rabbitohs and represented Queensland 12 times at State of Origin level.
He was also a member of the Maroons side that famously upset New South Wales to win the 2020 Origin series.
Away from football, Arrow built a reputation for his extensive charity work, supporting organisations including Whatability and St Vincent de Paul.
The former forward said the reaction to his diagnosis had left him overwhelmed.
‘The whole of Australia, it’s been surreal,’ Arrow said.
‘From the bottom of my heart I am truly, truly grateful.’
For now, Arrow and Colakovic are concentrating on their daughter, each other and the challenges that lie ahead.
And while the future remains uncertain, the former Origin star insists he is not giving up hope.
‘I will fight,’ he said.
‘And I’ll beat it.’
