On Thursday, many of Muhammad Ali’s closest friends and family gathered in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. for his Jenazah, which is an Islamic prayer service. On Friday, a funeral procession and memorial service was held for Ali.
The funeral procession featured Ali’s casket traveling throughout the city so that anyone who wanted to could pay their final respects to him. Thousands of people, including celebrities like Ali's longtime friend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, gathered in the streets of Louisville carrying Ali signs, memorabilia, and more. Check out some powerful scenes from throughout the city 's streets:
A random but powerful moment from the procession. #AliFuneral #thepeopleschamp pic.twitter.com/cVJLReJgZi
The crowd breaks into a loud "A-li" chant as his hearse approaches. pic.twitter.com/9RRIU1JMNq
Ali’s memorial service started at 3 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. The 18,000 people with tickets to the service arrived to find these programs waiting on their chairs:
Billy Crystal, Bryant Gumbel, and Bill Clinton read eulogies for Ali:
Prior to those eulogies, President Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett was also on hand to read a speech on behalf of the President, who was unable to attend the memorial service:
And of course, Ali's wife Lonnie also spoke at length about her husband's life and legacy:
Ali’s pallbearers included Will Smith, Lennox Lewis, and Mike Tyson.
Following the memorial service, Ali was laid to rest at the Cave Hill Cemetery during a private burial. RIP, Champ.
Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.
