A lifetime of service: The courage and community behind Tony Rice’s MND story

“My dad is my hero,” says Annabelle Rice (pictured above) blinking back tears as she describes the man she so admires. Annabelle’s hero is Senior Constable Patrick “Tony” Rice whose life has changed dramatically since he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in October 2023.

Unlike most dad-heroes, Tony (64) has received official recognition for his heroism. During his 38-year career with New Zealand Police, he was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal after tackling an armed offender who aimed a pistol at his police partner and members of the public. Neither Tony nor his partner were armed. He spent 18 years as a police dog handler before moving into a role as a scene of crime officer.

“Dad’s hilarious. He loves his sport – running marathons, doing triathlons and Ironman, loves surfing, loves rugby, and he loves Hamilton Marist Rugby Club. He’s a pretty groovy dude,” says Annabelle.

“Dad and my mum Sheryl have been our number one supporters through everything. They’re just the best parents,” says Annabelle also referring to her older brother, Todd.

“When I told dad, ‘I want to be a paramedic’, he said at least it was better than being a cop,” she laughs. But I really wanted to do some kind of community service that would honour him.” Annabelle is now a paramedic and says she has been so lucky to have her parents supporting her through the challenges of the job.

The rugby match fundraiser

Tony’s love of Hamilton Marist prompted a group of mates to organise a charity rugby match at the club in his honour. On Saturday 02 May, the Police Invitational XV played the Hamilton Marist Legends XV with fundraising efforts raising nearly $20,000. Tony enjoyed the match from the sidelines and insisted the money should be donated to Waikato Hospice and Motor Neurone Disease NZ (MND NZ).

A special set of rugby jerseys in Marist’s green and white colours with Tony’s playing number 15, the Waikato Hospice logo and the MND NZ logo were specially made for the match.

The Doddie Weir connection

Glenn Metcalfe, a Marist legends player in the fundraising match and one of Tony’s mates, played more than 110 professional matches for the Glasgow Warriors and was part of Scotland’s 1999 Five Nations Championship-winning team.

Glenn’s friend and former Scotland teammate, Doddie Weir, died from MND in 2022, aged 52. Weir’s charity, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, continues to raise awareness and fund MND research across the UK. Now a Hamilton firefighter, Glenn and his wife Lisa took on a 700km running/walking fundraising challenge for Doddie’s foundation throughout the month of January 2024.

Tony helps Glenn tackle marathons

Tony had recently been diagnosed with MND and reached out to Glenn, who was a fellow Marist rugby supporter, to suggest they go for a run. “That was the start of it – I met Ricey, his wife Sheryl and his family, and there was no going back,” recalls Glenn.

Tony supported Glenn through the adversity of marathon training. “I chewed his ear for eight months about getting prepared for a marathon. Nutrition, how to hydrate, training blocks, just always quizzing him when we're going out walking around the city or biking. He has all the answers,” says Glenn.

“As someone whose body was starting to fail him, he’s made mine a lot stronger. I've done things I never thought I'd do in the last couple of years, because of him – I ran a marathon.”

Mates cross the line together

As Tony’s movement became more limited, he and Glenn adapted the running. In November 2025, Glenn pushed his mate and running mentor 12km around the Lugton’s Hamilton Round the Bridges Race in a racing wheelchair. The grins on both men’s faces crossing the finish line tell a poignant story.  “Yeah, he let me know when I should be running a bit faster too,” laughs Glenn.

Symptoms, diagnosis and overwhelming support

The first MND symptom Tony experienced was a weakness in his left hand that he put down to arthritis. Then, he noticed his left tricep wasting away. His physio thought it could be a trapped nerve. An MRI and nerve conduction tests came back clear, so he was referred to a neurologist.

“He had an in-depth assessment with a neurologist in Hamilton,” recalls Annabelle. “The neurologist thought it was motor neurone disease (MND) but he sent him to another specialist for a second opinion – he hoped the other neurologist would tell him he was wrong. Unfortunately, the second neurologist agreed it was MND.”

When friends, colleagues and extended family heard the news Annabelle says there were a lot of “expletives”. “Nobody could believe that it could happen – because it’s dad and he’s done multiple Ironman events, marathons and triathlons. Everyone was shocked.

“But we’ve been so lucky to have the incredible support of friends and family. Dad wanted to get to the beach over summer, so a group of friends made it happen. They hired a beach wheelchair from Toes in the Water in Whangamatā and took him for a swim. And so many people are texting dad or checking in on mum, we are so very thankful.”

Annabel also says her family are also very lucky to have access to an amazing neurology team in Waikato, particularly the Health NZ Clinical Nurse Specialist: Neurology Ruth Mylchreest. And the support of MND NZ Waikato Regional Support Advisor Cat Taylor.

Tony’s MND has now progressed to the point where movement is limited to a wheelchair, he needs a hoist to transfer, is predominantly fed through a feeding tube and he struggles to talk.

“We live in a beautiful world, so when that gift of voluntary movement gets taken away, that is really difficult. What MND does to people, it’s just so hard to understand,” says Glenn.