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| A pedestrian passes a mural of Muhammad Ali painted on the side of a building Monday, June 6, 2016, in Louisville, Ky. The president of Turkey and king of Jordan joined the long line of world leaders, religious figures and superstars set to speak at Ali's funeral Friday. |
LOUISVILLE,
Ky. (AP) -- Muhammad Ali and his innermost circle started a
document years ago that grew so thick they began calling it "The Book."
Its contents will soon be revealed.
In the pages, the boxing great planned in exacting detail how he wished to say goodbye to the world.
"The
message that we'll be sending out is not our message - this was really
designed by The Champ himself," said Timothy Gianotti, an Islamic
studies scholar who for years helped to plan the services.
"The
love and the reverence and the inclusivity that we're going to
experience over the coming days is really a reflection of his message to
the people of planet Earth."
The 74-year-old
three-time heavyweight champion wanted the memorial service in an arena.
He wanted multiple religions to have a voice while honoring the
traditions of his Muslim faith. And he wanted ordinary fans to attend,
not just VIPs.
He was never downcast when
talking about his death, said Bob Gunnell, an Ali family spokesman. He
recalled Ali's own words during meetings planning the funeral: "It's OK.
We're here to do the job the way I want it. It's fine."
The final revisions were made days before Ali died Friday at an Arizona hospital, his family by his side.
For
years, the plan was to have Ali's body lie in repose at the Muhammad
Ali Center in Louisville, Gunnell said. That tribute was dropped at the
last minute because his wife, Lonnie, worried it would cause the center
to be shut down and knew people would want to gather there in grief.
In
its place, a miles-long procession was added that will carry Ali's body
across his beloved hometown. It will drive past the museum built in his
honor, along the boulevard named after him and through the neighborhood
where he grew up, raced bicycles and shadowboxed down the streets.
In
a city accustomed to capturing the world's attention for just two
minutes during the Kentucky Derby each year, Ali's memorial service
Friday looms as one of the most historic events in Louisville's history.
Former presidents, heads of nations from around the globe, movie stars
and sports greats will descend upon the city to pay final respects to
The Louisville Lip.
"It's been a really
bittersweet time for our city," Mayor Greg Fischer said. "We've all been
dreading the passing of The Champ, but at the same time we knew
ultimately it would come. It was selfish for us to think that we could
hold on to him forever. Our job now, as a city, is to send him off with
the class and dignity and respect that he deserves."
Former
President Bill Clinton, a longtime friend, will deliver the eulogy at
the funeral at the KFC Yum! Center, where the 15,000 seats are likely to
be filled.
Others speakers will include representatives of multiple faiths, including Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Mormonism.
Some are lifelong friends. Others Ali simply admired.
Rabbi
Michael Lerner was in his office at his home in Berkley, California, on
Sunday morning when, out of the blue, Ronald DiNicola, president of
Muhammad Ali Enterprises, called and invited the rabbi to speak at the
funeral.
He and Ali met in the 1960s as two
vocal opponents to the Vietnam War. They did not see each other again.
But DiNicola told Lerner that for the rest of the boxer's life, Ali
admired the rabbi's work as editor of the Jewish progressive magazine
Tikkun and author of numerous books.
"I didn't
know that he continued to follow my work; I certainly followed him,
what he was doing and the courage he did it with," Lerner said. "I am
extremely honored and extremely humbled."
He
and the other faith leaders will be followed by Ali's wife, daughter
Maryum Ali, actor Billy Crystal and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel. Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah II of Jordan had been
scheduled to speak, but lost their speaking spots because two other
speakers will be added later, Gunnell said.
"It's
not about who they are, it's about the fact that we just don't have
room on the program for them,"
Gunnell said, adding that their
representatives were "gracious and understood" when informed.
Actor
Will Smith, who portrayed Muhammad Ali in the movie "Ali," and former
world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis are among eight pallbearers for
Ali's memorial service this week in Louisville.
Also
serving are Jerry Ellis, brother of Jimmy Ellis, who was Ali's former
sparring partner and former world heavyweight champion; and several of
Ali's relatives and a friend from Louisville.
Most
downtown hotel rooms were already booked by Monday afternoon, and those
in the rest of the city were selling out fast, said Stacey Yates of the
city's tourism bureau.
At the city's iconic
Brown Hotel, the Muhammad Ali Suite, an opulent gold-and-black room
dedicated in 2001 by The Greatest himself, was already booked. The hotel
declined to say who would be staying there.
All
over town, Louisville residents have been finding ways to pay tribute
to their city's favorite son. The Muhammad Ali Center stopped charging
people for admission. A tour company began impromptu tours of Ali's path
through the city. A downtown bridge announced it would be lit the rest
of the week in red and gold: red for Ali's gloves and gold for his
medal.
The day before his star-studded
funeral, members of Ali's Islamic faith will get their chance to say a
traditional goodbye. A Jenazah, a traditional Muslim funeral, will be
held at Freedom Hall at noon Thursday, Gunnell said. It will be open to
all.
They chose the venue because it seats
18,000 and holds historical significance for the hometown hero. Ali
fought, and won, his first professional fight there in 1960.
Gianotti,
the Islamic studies scholar, said the Muslim funeral was "critically
important for the global Muslim community to say goodbye to their
beloved champ."
The inner circle that helped
the Alis with funeral preparations included his attorney and a business
associate, Gunnell said. The group presented "The Book" - about 2 inches
thick with funeral details - to Ali in 2010, the family spokesman said.
"Muhammad,
over the course of about a week, went through the entire plan and
signed it and certified it and approved it," Gunnell said.
Ali's
burial will be in Cave Hill Cemetery, the final resting place for many
of the city's most prominent residents. The luminaries include Colonel
Harlan Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, whose granite
memorial features a bust of the goateed entrepreneur.
Ali's
gravesite will far more subdued, in contrast to his oversized
personality and life. A modest marker, in accord with Muslim tradition,
is planned, said his attorney, Ron Tweel. He would not say what words
will be inscribed on the marker.
