Muhammad Ali: Inside his final hours

Muhammad Ali, the iconic three-time world heavyweight boxing champion who died Friday, had recently shunned the public spotlight he once seemed to revere.His last known appearance was at a Parkinson's fundraiser April 9 in Phoenix, according to the Arizona Republic.At the annual fundraising event for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, one of the most recognizable faces on the planet was shielded in part by dark sunglasses, according to a photo posted by the newspaper.Ali had missed the gala the previous two years, the newspaper reported. On that April night, however, one of the most beloved athletes of all time would receive a final standing ovation.Ali's last battleOn Monday, the charismatic former boxer became ill with what family spokesman Bob Gunnell described as a respiratory issue.He was admitted to the HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center in Scottsdale in fair condition that night."We expected that to be the case," Gunnell told reporters Saturday. "You know, Muhammad has battled back many times. We expected it to happen this time."Ali also was hospitalized in January 2015 with a urinary tract infection. He washospitalized in December 2014 with pneumonia.When he came into the hospital, we thought, 'OK, it will be a brief stay,'" said longtime friend John Ramsey, who works for WAVE in Louisville, Kentucky -- Ali's hometown -- and who has a radio show on ESPN.'Wasn't going to improve'Ali's condition worsened in recent days, according to Gunnell."The family was called when things became more serious," the spokesman said."We still had a lot of hope it was going to turn around."Two days ago, doctors told Ali's wife, Lonnie, that "his condition wasn't going toimprove," Gunnell said.Ramsey said Lonnie Ali called him Friday morning. Her husband's health was deteriorating."She said, 'You might want to come out,' which I decided to do," he said.Surrounded by his childrenAli's daughter, Hana, wrote in a tweet that Ali was surrounded by his children inhis final moments. They held his once powerful hands. They hugged and kissed their 74-year-old father. They chanted Islamic prayer.