It was here at Robben Island that he came to know Nelson Mandela -- where they were both sentenced to life in prison.<br/> <br />Anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada remembers seeing Mandela in the hospital.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MANDELA FRIEND AND ROBBEN ISLAND PRISONER, AHMED KATHRADA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"When I went to see him at the hospital, it was the most traumatic moment of my life. To see this man, whom I knew all my life as a strong person, and here he is a shadow of himself. Barely recognizable. Unable to speak because he had these tubes in his mouth. So he could just signal to me when I said something to him. I didn't expect him to respond because he couldn't with his tubes. But he could respond by shaking his head that he has understood."<br/> <br />Kathrada said he was prepared for Mandela's death.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) MANDELA FRIEND AND ROBBEN ISLAND PRISONER, AHMED KATHRADA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"As traumatic as it was, I had accepted the fact that he's not going to be with us
