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In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. (Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the nervous system. It affects movement and speech.)
The diagnosis may have sent someone else into seclusion, depression, or worse. But not Ali. He saw it as something that helped him see life from a different point of view. “Maybe my Parkinson’s is God’s way of reminding me what is important. It slowed me down and caused me to listen rather than talk,” he said. Even before his illness, Ali was very clear about his role in life. “My main fight is for freedom and equality.” Ali spent the rest of his days doing just that.