Steadfast and selfless, Lonnie Ali has towered in her husband’s corner for many long, challenging years.
So is his resolve.
Eventually, with Lonnie’s help, he catches the butterfly just right and threads the hole.
“He has a lot to be depressed about.
The adjustment [has been] terrific.
“But I think he is secure in who he is, and about his place in history.
That’s not to say Parkinson’s hasn’t changed him it has.
But he still has enough sense of self and dignity that he maintains.”
The Ali caregiving story is about love, companionship and devotion.
It is also about faith.
“Muhammad is a very spiritual person.
Lord knows this has made him more reflective and pensive.”
“The relationship changes over time with the illness.
The medications might affect their cognitive ability.
They may not be able to speak as well.
“That just makes [the] depression even worse,” she says.
“To be honest, I can deal with Parkinson’s all day.
It affects everyone differently.
I just didn’t want him toget depressedthinking about his own mortality.”
But Ali has become increasingly private in recent years as his ability to speak has deteriorated.
On a refreshing spring day, optimism is in the air.
Lonnie grants a rare interview at the couple’s desert home in an exclusive, gated Phoenix-area subdivision.
Two expansive palms and a blooming mesquite tree frame a rectangular pool.
Colorful flowers enliven a peaceful setting that includes singing birds and a small fountain.
