Final answer:
Josephine, Teresa's sister, was the first to inform Ali about Teresa's death, using broken sentences to gently convey the tragic news.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first person to tell Ali about Teresa's death was Josephine, her sister, who conveyed the sad news using broken sentences and veiled hints. It was a scenario involving tact and delicate handling of a tragic event.
Richards, a friend of the deceased's husband, had confirmed the news from a second telegram after initially learning about it through a railroad disaster report where Brently Mallard's name was listed as "killed". He wanted to ensure that Ali received the news in a gentle and thoughtful manner, hence he had acted swiftly to be the one to convey it.
In a different context, it is mentioned that after Ali's own death, his life's milestones and struggle with Parkinson's disease were widely covered in the news, with memorable images such as lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics and his appearance during the 2012 event marking significant moments of his life and the effects of his illness.