By — Kamala Kelkar Kamala Kelkar Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/muhammad-ali-died-from-septic-shock-family-spokesman-says Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Muhammad Ali died from septic shock, family spokesman says Nation Jun 4, 2016 5:33 PM EDT Renowned boxer Muhammad Ali died from septic shock due to natural causes Friday night, his family announced Saturday, while inviting fans to a public funeral that Ali had requested years before he died. His family had been called to his bedside at a hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., on Friday, when what began as a respiratory problem became a dire situation, spokesman Bob Gunnell said at a press conference near the facility. In the minutes leading up to his death, Ali, who suffered from Parkinson’s syndrome, was surrounded by his daughters, son and wife who were holding his hands, hugging him, chanting the Islamic prayer and saying, “You can go now. We will be OK,” according to his daughter, Hana Ali. “We all tried to stay strong,” Hana Ali wrote in a post on Instagram. A photo posted by Hana Ali (@hanayali) on Jun 4, 2016 at 9:57am PDT She said his heart continued to beat after all his other organs had failed. “A true testament to the strength of his Spirit and Will,” she wrote. Gunnell said that per his wishes, there will be a procession throughout the streets of his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, followed by a public ceremony at 2 p.m. that will be live streamed and translated. “Muhammad’s boxing career only encompassed half of his life. The other half was committed to sharing a message of peace and inclusion with the world,” he said. “His funeral will reflect those principles and be a celebration open to everyone.” A photo posted by Hana Ali (@hanayali) on Jun 3, 2016 at 11:25pm PDT While the ceremony will be predominately Muslim and an imam will preside, Gunnell said there will also be leaders from other religious groups in attendance. Former President Bill Clinton, comedian Billy Crystal and journalist Bryant Gumbel will give eulogies, he said, among others. “The funeral plans were done years ago, by Mr. Ali, who discussed them personally,” Gunnell said. Gunnell added the family has requested that in lieu of flowers, fans send donations to the Muhammad Ali Center in Kentucky. The center’s website will carry the livestream of the public proceedings. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Kamala Kelkar Kamala Kelkar Kamala Kelkar works on investigative projects at PBS NewsHour Weekend. She has been a journalist for a decade, reporting from Oakland, India, Alaska and now New York. @kkelkar
Renowned boxer Muhammad Ali died from septic shock due to natural causes Friday night, his family announced Saturday, while inviting fans to a public funeral that Ali had requested years before he died. His family had been called to his bedside at a hospital in Phoenix, Ariz., on Friday, when what began as a respiratory problem became a dire situation, spokesman Bob Gunnell said at a press conference near the facility. In the minutes leading up to his death, Ali, who suffered from Parkinson’s syndrome, was surrounded by his daughters, son and wife who were holding his hands, hugging him, chanting the Islamic prayer and saying, “You can go now. We will be OK,” according to his daughter, Hana Ali. “We all tried to stay strong,” Hana Ali wrote in a post on Instagram. A photo posted by Hana Ali (@hanayali) on Jun 4, 2016 at 9:57am PDT She said his heart continued to beat after all his other organs had failed. “A true testament to the strength of his Spirit and Will,” she wrote. Gunnell said that per his wishes, there will be a procession throughout the streets of his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, followed by a public ceremony at 2 p.m. that will be live streamed and translated. “Muhammad’s boxing career only encompassed half of his life. The other half was committed to sharing a message of peace and inclusion with the world,” he said. “His funeral will reflect those principles and be a celebration open to everyone.” A photo posted by Hana Ali (@hanayali) on Jun 3, 2016 at 11:25pm PDT While the ceremony will be predominately Muslim and an imam will preside, Gunnell said there will also be leaders from other religious groups in attendance. Former President Bill Clinton, comedian Billy Crystal and journalist Bryant Gumbel will give eulogies, he said, among others. “The funeral plans were done years ago, by Mr. Ali, who discussed them personally,” Gunnell said. Gunnell added the family has requested that in lieu of flowers, fans send donations to the Muhammad Ali Center in Kentucky. The center’s website will carry the livestream of the public proceedings. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now