AFTERNOON ON THE NEW CHARGES. TODAY MARKS EIGHT YEARS SINCE LOUISVILLE LEGEND MUHAMMAD ALI’S DEATH. EVERY ANNIVERSARY, PEOPLE LAY ROSES AT ALI’S GRAVESITE AT CAVE HILL CEMETERY. BUT AS WLKY MADELINE CARTER SHOWS US, LOCALS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES INSPIRED TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE GREATEST. THIS IS THE LEAST I COULD DO IS TO COME AND SIT WITH HIM. I CALL IT SITTING WITH GREATNESS. EVERY YEAR ON JUNE 3RD, BUTCH ZURBRIGGEN TRAVELS FROM COLUMBUS, OHIO, TO CAVE HILL CEMETERY IN LOUISVILLE TO REFLECT ON THE IMPACT THE GREATEST HAD ON HIM. HE BASICALLY, UH, SAVED MY LIFE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CALL ME BY MY NAME NOW. MUHAMMAD. MUHAMMAD ALI. MUHAMMAD ALI’S BATTLES IN AND OUT OF THE RING INSPIRED BUTCH TO TURN AWAY FROM GANGS. AS A TEENAGER. WHEN I WAS 12 OR 13, I. I WAS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. NOW HE SITS HERE SWAPPING MEMORIES WITH GLENN SINGLETON, WHO SAYS THE GREATEST INSPIRED HIM TO WIN HIS OWN FIGHT AGAINST STOMACH CANCER. BUT THE STRENGTH THAT MUHAMMAD ALI HAD GAVE ME STRENGTH. GLENN LIVES IN LOUISIANA, AND HE TOO, MAKES A POINT TO BE IN LOUISVILLE EVERY ANNIVERSARY OF ALI’S DEATH. THEY’RE HERE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE MAN WHO WAS A HERO TO SO MANY. EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE TO CAVE HILL CEMETERY IS GIVEN A ROSE TO PLACE AT MUHAMMAD ALI’S GRAVE TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE HERE IN LOUISVILLE. YOU KNOW, IT TOOK A WHILE TO MAKE THIS A GOOD DAY, BUT I THINK NOW I CAN REFLECT ON MUHAMMAD AND SMILE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT HE NOT ONLY MADE ON ME, BUT THE IMPACT HE MADE ON THE CITY. ALI’S CLOSE FRIEND OF 35 YEARS, JOHN RAMSEY, SAYS IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER YOU KNEW THE THREE TIME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION PERSONALLY. I’M GOING TO FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY AND STING LIKE A BEE. HIS HANDS CAN’T HIT WHAT HIS EYES CAN’T SEE HIS LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN LOUISVILLE AND ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. TO MY BEST FRIEND, GLENN SINGLETON FROM MUHAMMAD ALI SAYS OF GOD, HE IS THE GOLD. THAT’S WHAT HE SAY. MADELINE CARTER WLKY NEWS THANK YOU MADELINE AND THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER, HANDS OUT ROSES AT HIS GRAVESITE TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY OF HIS FUNERAL. THE CITY THREW ROSES AT THE PROC
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Louisville adorns Muhammad Ali's grave with roses on 8th anniversary of his death
Monday marks eight years since Louisville legend Muhammad Ali's death.Every year on June 3, people gather at Cave Hill Cemetery to lay roses on his gravesite. But locals aren't the only ones inspired to pay their respects to "The Greatest.""This is the least I can do, is to come and sit with him," Butch Zurbriggen told WLKY. "I call it sitting with Greatness." Zurbriggen travels to Louisville from Columbus, Ohio every year to reflect on the impact Ali had on him on the anniversary of his death."He basically saved my life," Zurbriggen exclaimed.Muhammad Ali's battles in and out of the ring, Zurbriggen said, inspired him to turn away from gangs as a teenager."I was 12 or 13. I was heading in the wrong directions," he explained.Years later, Zurbriggen sits by Ali's grave once a year, swapping memories with other fans like Glenn Singleton, who said "The Greatest" inspired him to win his own fight against stomach cancer."The strength that Muhammad Ali had gave me strength," shared Singleton, who traveled to Louisville from Ama, Louisiana.He, too, makes a point to be in Louisville for every anniversary of Ali's death.Everyone who visits Ali's grave in Cave Hill Cemetery is given a rose to place at his gravesite to commemorate the day of his funeral. The city threw roses at the procession as the hearse made its way into the cemetery in the Highlands."It took a while to make this a good day, but I think now I can reflect on Muhammad and smile because of the impact he not only made on me, but the impact he made on the city," said John Ramsey, a close friend of Ali's for 35 years.Ramsey said it doesn't matter whether you knew the three-time heavyweight champion personally. His legacy will continue to bring people together in Louisville and all around the country.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Monday marks eight years since Louisville legend Muhammad Ali's death.
Every year on June 3, people gather at Cave Hill Cemetery to lay roses on his gravesite. But locals aren't the only ones inspired to pay their respects to "The Greatest."
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"This is the least I can do, is to come and sit with him," Butch Zurbriggen told WLKY. "I call it sitting with Greatness."
Zurbriggen travels to Louisville from Columbus, Ohio every year to reflect on the impact Ali had on him on the anniversary of his death.
Remembering 'The Greatest': Clips from the life of Muhammad Ali
"He basically saved my life," Zurbriggen exclaimed.
Muhammad Ali's battles in and out of the ring, Zurbriggen said, inspired him to turn away from gangs as a teenager.
"I was 12 or 13. I was heading in the wrong directions," he explained.
Years later, Zurbriggen sits by Ali's grave once a year, swapping memories with other fans like Glenn Singleton, who said "The Greatest" inspired him to win his own fight against stomach cancer.
"The strength that Muhammad Ali had gave me strength," shared Singleton, who traveled to Louisville from Ama, Louisiana.
He, too, makes a point to be in Louisville for every anniversary of Ali's death.
Everyone who visits Ali's grave in Cave Hill Cemetery is given a rose to place at his gravesite to commemorate the day of his funeral. The city threw roses at the procession as the hearse made its way into the cemetery in the Highlands.
Remembering Muhammad Ali: Looking back at some of his big moments
"It took a while to make this a good day, but I think now I can reflect on Muhammad and smile because of the impact he not only made on me, but the impact he made on the city," said John Ramsey, a close friend of Ali's for 35 years.
Ramsey said it doesn't matter whether you knew the three-time heavyweight champion personally. His legacy will continue to bring people together in Louisville and all around the country.
