Muhammad Ali. AP FILE PHOTO
The world of combat sports lost one of its most polarizing figures over the weekend with the tragic passing of Muhammad Ali, but according to his daughter, ‘The Greatest” went out like a true champion.
In an emotional Twitter post on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Hana Ali detailed the iconic boxer’s final moments, noting how his heart kept beating for 30 minutes even after his other organs had failed.
— Hana Ali (@Hanayali) June 4, 2016
“Our hearts are literally hurting. But We are so happy daddy is free now. We all tried to stay strong and whispered in his ear, ‘You can go now. We will be okay. We love love you. Thank you. You can go back to God now”, wrote Hana, who is married to UFC middleweight Kevin Casey.
“All of us were around him hugging and kissing him and holding his hands, chanting the Islamic prayer. All of his organs failed but his HEART wouldn’t stop beating. For 30 minutes…his heart just kept beating. No one had ever seen anything like it. A true testament to the strength of his Spirit and Will!
Thank you for your love and support!!”, she added.
Meanwhile, his other daughter, retired undefeated boxer Laila Ali, also shared a touching photo of her dad together with her daughter.
Her Facebook post was captioned, “I love this photo of my father and my daughter Sydney when she was a baby!”
She also shared her gratitude for the outpouring of support from fans of her late father, “I feel your love and appreciate it!!”
Deemed by many as the greatest boxer to ever lace a pair of gloves, Ali captivated audiences with his incredible hand speed and crafty footwork for a man his size.
Though mostly known for his sharp tongue and boastful proclamations during his storied career, Ali received global praise for his many humanitarian efforts during his retirement.
Ali succumbed to a septic shock on Friday night (Saturday in Manila), after being hospitalized for a severe respiratory illness. Khristian Ibarrola
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