MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fans mount vigil at Pele's São Paulo hospital

The latest medical report mentions “no worsening” of Pele's health

Fans of the club where Brazilian football legend Pele started his career convened Sunday at the Albert Einstein Hospital, in the western Morumbi area, to show their solidarity for Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, who is undergoing cancer treatment.

Carrying a flag with an image of the former player as a youth, the crowds left messages of support on the railing in the hospital's garden, where they were joined by some local residents.

Ciro Estivale dos Santos, who went with his two daughters: Manoela, 7 years old, and Rafaela, 11. According to him, the idea of the tribute came from his oldest daughter. “He gave so much joy to us. So now it's a little bit of us for him. We hope that he gets better soon, that he gets well, that he can score one more goal in his life.

Estivale also told reporters that he got to see Pelé play at the peak of his career. ”My father was a santista. I always went to the stadium, I always followed him. I saw him at his peak, with several goals in Morumbi, Pacaembu, and in Vila Belmiro,“ he stressed.

Also living in the area, Santos-born Macos Bispo dos Santos recalled that was emotional at the hospital door. He recalled working for Banco Nacional, where Pelé and the other Santos players had their bank accounts.

”It was a party. At that time I was a simple employee. For us, it was a party, being [with him] not only on the field, which I carried since I was a child, [but also] as an adult being with him in the bank where you work. It was an unbelievable feeling. He would go to the bank managers' table and there would be that crowd [around]. The branch would stop,“ he recalls.

Pelé was admitted to Albert Einstein on Nov. 29 for a reevaluation of the chemotherapy for the colon tumor, removed surgically on September 4, 2021. Since then, Pelé has been undergoing chemotherapy. According to the medical bulletin released Saturday, the former player has had a good response to care in respiratory infection, ”showing no worsening in the last 24 hours.“

On his Instagram account, Pelé said he is doing his treatment ”as always.“ ”My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and with positive thinking. I am strong, with much hope and I follow my treatment as always. I want to thank the entire medical and nursing staff for all the care I have received,” wrote the 82-year-old former player.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)