I spent the day thinking about what Muhammad Ali meant to me and I couldn’t put it into words. He was there as long as I followed news and sports and civil rights and everything. He was always a part of my life. I remember that my father liked him, which is probably how I was introduced to him and I spent a couple of years as a real boxing fan, watching every match I could. I know that will surprise some people. The idea that he had Parkinson’s was a shock to me – Ali was invincible. He was The Greatest.

Well, he was still The Greatest.

His athleticism, his confidence, his faith. They didn’t define him as much as he defined them. They were a part of him.

My deepest condolences to his family; may he rest in peace in G-d’s embrace and may his pain be stilled.

Simply,

Float like a butterfly,
Sting like a bee,
Muhammad Ali is The Greatest,
and He inspired me.

That is his famous challenge mixed with my insignificant words; these are his:

How I Would Like To Be Remembered

“I would like to be remembered as a man who won the heavyweight title three times, who was humorous, and who treated everyone right. As a man who never looked down on those who looked up to him, and who helped as many people as he could. As a man who stood up for his beliefs no matter what. As a man who tried to unite all humankind through faith and love. And if all that’s too much, then I guess I’d settle for being remembered only as a great boxer who became a leader and a champion of his people. And I wouldn’t even mind if folks forgot how pretty I was.”