Fighting the Good Fight

Infobox Television episode | Title = Fighting the Good Fight
Series = Touched by an Angel
Season = 5
Episode = 24
Airdate = May 9, 1999 (CBS)
Production = 522
Writer = Michael Glassberg
Director = Tim Van Patten
Prev = Black Like Monica
Next = Hearts

"Fighting the Good Fight" is the twenty-fourth episode of the fifth season of the CBS drama series "Touched by an Angel." This episode also guest stars Muhammad Ali as himself.

Plot

Tim's (Christopher Marquette) brother Steven (Evan Bonifant) always teases him, and their uncle Frank (Richard Burgi) reluctantly looks after the boys as a guardian. One day, Steven gets sick, and faints. At the hospital, Tim learns that Steven has meningitis. Tim is glad that Steven is stuck in the hospital, so that he won't be pushed around all the time.

Tim decides to wrestle train with Rafael (Alexis Cruz) and becomes stronger everyday. When Tim finds out that Steven's coming home, he wants to bully him as much as Steven's bullied him. But he is surprised to see Steven in a wheelchair. Later, Tim is challenged to a fight, and accepts.

Later that night, Tim waits in Tess' gym for the challenger. He wins the fight, then collapses into Andrew's arms, sobbing, crying nobody loves him. But Andrew reassures him saying that there's one person who will always love him: God. Rafael, Andrew, and Tess then appear as angels, and introduce Tim to his hero, Muhammad Ali. Tess speaks for Ali, saying that Tim must fight for his family (fighting the good fight). Ali and Tess also say that Steven and Frank love him, but are afraid to show it.

Tim returns home, and says to his uncle Frank that he loves him. Frank goes in the kitchen and sees Andrew, saying that guardian angels will be watching over them. When he leaves, Frank sees a beautiful meal in the fridge.