Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer, died of septic shock due to unspecified natural causes. He had been publicly battling Parkinsons disease for more than three decades, but his cause of death came as a surprise to many. Ali had been admitted to a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, for respiratory complications before his death. His family was called to his bedside when his condition worsened, and he passed away at 9:10 pm, with his heart continuing to beat for 30 minutes after his other organs failed.
The origin of Ali's infection that led to sepsis has not been revealed, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that an infection starting anywhere in the body can lead to sepsis, even if it is only a minor one to begin with. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level after an infection.
