‘He Was Trapped Inside of His Body’: Daughter Laila Ali Opened Up About Muhammad Ali’s Final Moments in a 2016 Interview

On June 3, 2016, Muhammad Ali passed away, leaving his family and fans behind. He was 74 at the time of his demise. Ali had long suffered because of Parkinson’s disease before succumbing to it. After Ali’s death, Good Morning America got in touch with Ali’s beloved daughter and former world champion boxer Laila Ali.

Speaking with journalist Robin Roberts, Laila Ali spoke about the final moments spent with her father Ali. She expressed that even though she was sad; she was simultaneously relieved at the thought that her father would no longer suffer because of Parkinson’s disease, which tortured him and her for a significant part of their life.

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Despite her loss, Laila Ali spoke with firmness attached to her words. She felt that while her father lived with Parkinson’s, he was trapped inside his body. Watching him struggle with the disease was too much. This is why even though Muhammad Ali fell into eternal sleep, Laila Ali felt she had found comfort to speak of.

She said, “I’ve been feeling low since before my father passed away. I can say that I’m obviously really sad but I’ve been sad for a long time. Watching my father struggling with Parkinson’s disease.”

“He’d hold your head up and you’d say, ‘Yeah, he’s doing great but I felt he was trapped inside of his body. So, I have comfort knowing he’s not suffering anymore.”

Muhammad Ali struggled over three decades with Parkinson’s disease

Officially, as was revealed in public, Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when he was 42 years old. However, his elder daughter Maryum Ali suspected Muhammad to have shown signs of Parkinson’s at least 6 years before.

A study later contributed the information that Ali in his career had absorbed 200,000 blows (a surprising figure) leading to Parkinson’s. Ali left a legacy behind. His demise was personal to many of his supporters, who made a large part of the champ’s family and ring life.

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What is the one memory of Muhammad Ali you cherish the most? Let us know in the comments below.