Muhammad Ali’s brother pays emotional tribute at memorial service: ‘He was my best friend’
As the world mourns the death of “The Greatest,” those who knew him personally are sharing heartfelt memories.
Muhammad Ali’s younger brother, Rahaman Ali, 72, spoke at an emotional religious service on Sunday in a tribute to his brother.
“He was my best friend, other than my wife,” he said, speaking at King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church in Louisvilke, Ky, Ali’s hometown. “I loved my brother. He was a wonderful, wonderful human being.”
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The church was one in which their father had been a longtime member. Although Muhammad Ali was a proud Muslim, he was said to still have attended service occasionally with his father.
According to The New York Daily News, younger brother Rahaman Ali was in tears during the service, coming to the altar to express gratitude, yelling, “I love you all! Love you! Love you! Love you!”
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“It doesn’t matter if you’re a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew. When you believe in God, you should believe that all people are part of one family,” said Rev. Wanda McIntyre.
“Now, to remember a man that is not only a great fighter, but this man was a great leader for our city…there is no greater man that has done more for this city than Muhammad Ali,” assistant pastor Charles Elliott III told the packed church during the service, which was filled with dancing, clapping and a celebration of Ali’s life.
Watch as Rahaman Ali is brought to tears in another emotional interview about his brother Muhammad Ali in the video below:
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