Lonnie Ali and Muhammad Ali knew each other for more than four decades before her husband's death Friday night at the age of 74. Their mothers, Marguerite Williams and Odessa Clay, were best friends, having lived on the same street in Louisville, where they raised their families. Lonnie earned her master’s of business from UCLA. She is the fourth wife of the former heavyweight champ. They married in 1986.
Jon Saraceno chatted with Lonnie at their home in Paradise Valley, Ariz., in 2010.
What is your first recollection of Muhammad?
It was (in May 1963, nine months) before the (first) Sonny Liston fight. I was 6. He was 21. People think he used to babysit me, but he didn’t. Muhammad would have made a terrible babysitter. You would come back and your house would be a mess and he would be in the middle of it.
What was he like in those days?
He would joke and play with us kids. He would always make time for us — ride bicycles, put us on his big Blue Bird bus and have us yelling out the windows, or on his loudspeaker, that he was “The Greatest.” Muhammad was fun. He would tell us stories where he had been or show us magic. He was always into something.
You had a crush on him?
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
When did you realize you loved him?
When I was 17. But I think I’ve always loved him. I knew, at the end, I was going to be the one married to him. It was like a road map.
What is a typical day like now for Muhammad? (Interview took place in 2010)
If it is here, Muhammad gets up, showers, dresses and has breakfast. He likes watching television, especially the Today show and, believe it or not, VH1. It keeps him current. Muhammad has been a CNN person. It’s so global, so he can follow the world. During the entire (presidential) election, we were glued to CNN. After breakfast, Muhammad takes a nap and then heads off to therapy. The rest of the day is up in the air. He could have lunch out, go for a massage, a ride in the desert or head to a function in the evening. Or he might go to a movie or a game. He loves going to basketball games. We took him to his first hockey game (in Detroit last season).
What was the trip to Ireland like this summer?
We met some of his distant cousins in Ennis. They were crying all the time, holding his face and kissing it as if he was a little cherub. It was so sweet to see. They just wanted to have the opportunity to touch any part of him.
How touched was Muhammad?
You know how so many of us don’t live in the moment? Muhammad lives in the moment. His eyes get so big; he becomes so animated. Even though he has Parkinson’s, (meeting people) sort of overrides the Parkinson’s, and he is able to react differently than he would normally. It is better than tonic, better than medication for Muhammad. He has wonderful gestures and facial expressions. He is the Muhammad of old.
How ironic is it that a voice so loud for so long has been all but silenced?
It is ironic. In the mornings, he speaks pretty well, but (his reduced speech) may be because he injured his vocal cords. Parkinson’s does affect the projection of speech. The vocal cords become stretched and brittle. Don’t ever think because he is somewhat silenced that he is not understood. He has a way of making you understand exactly what he wants, and he uses it to his own advantage. Muhammad always takes lemons and makes lemonade.
What therapies does he have?
Five days he has physical therapy — three for balance, motion and flexibility, and two devoted to strength and muscle tone. He also goes for hand therapy. Parkinson’s patients write very small. The only place Muhammad has arthritis is in his fingers.
We play cognitive games to keep him alert. People engage him in checkers or cards. They don’t let him win, and he (sometimes) beats them. Muhammad always wanted to play the piano. He had piano lessons this summer. We are finding him a piano teacher here. He wants to play, and it’s also good for him cognitively. It keeps him alert, keeps his hands moving.
What was Muhammad’s reaction to Barack Obama becoming president?
Muhammad was so elated for him. I don’t think Muhammad could believe it. In his lifetime, considering where (Muhammad) came from? It was beyond belief. For Muhammad, this was a special moment.
How often does he see his nine children?
It is a challenge for them and him. They cannot communicate with him the way they used to. They are grown, married, have children, careers. They do not see their father as much as they would like. With this disease, you never know how long he can communicate. They have their own fears about his health.
Does Muhammad express regret?
Muhammad usually has no regrets about anything. The closest he will come is when he will look at a documentary and say, “I was crazy, wasn’t I?” I say, “Yeah, you were!” I think he is amazed at some of the things he did — at his boldness, at times, without being afraid.
When did he modify his Islamic beliefs?
Ordinarily, he would not have been drawn to the (Black Muslim sect of the) religion. But because of the (separatist) philosophy, he was brought into the religion. There were things he related to. He evolved spiritually to the point where he realized, “OK, this is not true Islam.”
Were you surprised at Muhammad’s financial condition after he retired?
I was somewhat stunned. I thought he should have been better off. Given the nature of who he was — and the people he was taking care of — it was understandable. Muhammad is not a businessperson. Muhammad did what he wanted to do. That is the nature of the man; that is how he got to be who he is. Fortunately, as he got older, a little bit smarter and wiser, he has been more prudent and frugal.
What other lessons has he learned?
Muhammad always has understood the big lessons in life. Some of the smaller lessons Muhammad probably has to learn. Muhammad never asks why. He just takes it and runs with it: “It is what it is, and I’m going to make the best of it.” He never has regrets. Never.
He has a strong sense of self; he never forgets who he is. One time my sister told him she felt low, spiritually. She said, “Muhammad, do you ever feel like that?” When he said no, she asked why not and he replied, “Because I’m the most famous man on earth.”
PHOTOS: Ali through the years
