Pele ’s family spent Christmas night in hospital with the former football star as they underlined the need to be “thankful” for their time with the Brazilian legend.
The health of football legend Pele, 82, has worsened over the past month and he now requires greater care at Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital in Sao Paulo. Kely Nascimento, who regularly keeps fans updated on Pele's health, shared a moving post on Christmas night. "Even in sadness we can only be thankful," Nascimento wrote on Instagram, in tribute to those administering care to her father.
Her heartfelt words were accompanied by an image of her extended family at the hospital, with Nascimento pictured alongside five other family members. It comes two days after the previous update on Pele’s health and his family sharing time with the icon.
Pele was admitted to hospital on November 29 after picking up a respiratory infection and for "re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over colon cancer identified in September 2021," according to an official statement. The football world has been backing the Brazil hero to pull through, with Nascimento often thanking them.
She's also explained that the former Santos star had contracted Covid-19, despite being vaccinated "with all doses." Because his chemotherapy had made him more fragile, he'd contracted a lung infection. Pele's condition has been monitored by football fans across the world, particularly poignant during Brazil's World Cup campaign.
Nascimento wrote on Sunday night: “We always have a lot to be thankful for, even spending Christmas in the hospital we are aware of the privilege it is to be in a hospital like @hosp_einstein. To see our dad being treated by these professionals, who super competent and extremely caring.
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“Not a moment goes by that we forget this privilege. Even in sadness we can only be thankful. Thank you for being together, thank you for all your affection, thank you that I can be here now with him.
“Merry Christmas. May you have lots of health, lots of love, lots of joy, lots of laughter and lots of passion, today and always, for all of you. Another night with him.”
The deterioration of Pele’s health was acknowledged during the World Cup, with Brazil’s players unfurling a banner expressing their support of the icon after their 4-1 victory over South Korea in the Round of 16.
December 5, the day of the match, saw Pele's most recent post on social media. It was an image of him walking alongside his father during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, which he'd go on to help Brazil win after taking the tournament by storm as a teenager.
"In 1958, I walked the streets thinking about fulfilling the promise I made to my father," he wrote. "I know that today many have made similar promises and are also going in search of their first World Cup. I'll be watching the game from hospital and I'll be rooting for each one of you. Good luck!"
