Hard to believe that the late great Muhammad Ali passed away three years ago on June 3, 2016. So to commemorate the anniversary of his death, the City of Phoenix proclaims June 3, 2019 “Muhammad Ali Day” in honor of Ali’s life and contributions to the City and to keep alive the impact the champ had not just on our city but also on the world.
On top of the Greatest having his own special day, Earlier this morning West Merrell Street in Central Phoenix was renamed Muhammad Ali Way.
Muhammad Ali Way is located between Central Avenue and Third Avenue, near the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute.
The new street signs were unveiled earlier this morning during a special ceremony at Marley Lobby at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Ceremony speakers on hand were Lonnie Ali; Holly Shill, MD, director of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center; Linda Hunt, president and CEO of Dignity Health’s Arizona Division; and Jimmy Walker, founder of Celebrity Fight Night and supporter of the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow.
Lonnie Ali went on to say, ”Muhammad was proud to lend his name to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center and offer hope and inspiration to those afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.”
Former World Champion heavyweight boxer Earnie Shavers, Ali’s retired neurologist Abraham Lieberman, MD, and patients from the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center were also in attendance.
The street renaming and city proclamation are to honor the legacy of the late Phoenix resident Muhammad Ali as the face of the fight against Parkinson’s disease. The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center was established in 1997 by Muhammad Ali, Phoenix philanthropist Jimmy Walker and Dr. Abraham Lieberman. It has since grown into the most comprehensive Parkinson’s disease center in the world and treats approximately 1,200 patients each year.