SAO PAULO (AP) — Relatives of Brazilian soccer great Pelé gather at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo, where the 82-year-old world icon has been since late November.
Doctors said earlier this week that Pele’s cancer had advanced, adding that the three-time World Cup winner is under “elevated care” related to “kidney and heart dysfunctions.” No other statements from the hospital have been released since then.
Edson Cholbi Nascimento, one of Pele’s sons and known as Edinho, arrived on Saturday after he gave a news conference to deny visiting his father in hospital. Edinho, who works for a soccer club in southern Brazil, had said then that only doctors could help his father.
“He (Edson) is here,” Kely Nascimento, one of Pelé’s daughters, said in an Instagram post with a photo showing her sitting with Edinho and two of their children at the hospital. “I’m not leaving, no one is going to get me out of here.”
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known worldwide as Pelé, had a colon tumor removed in September 2021. Neither his family nor the hospital have said whether it had spread to other organs.
Kely Nascimento and her sister Flavia Arantes do Nascimento used their social media channels late Friday to post an undated photo of Pele apparently holding Kely with one hand as he lay in his hospital bed and Flavia slept on a sofa.
“We are still here, in this fight and with faith. Another night together”, wrote Kely Nascimento.
The hospital has not mentioned any symptoms of Pelé’s recent respiratory infection, which was aggravated by COVID-19.
The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported last weekend that Pelé’s chemotherapy was not working and that doctors had decided to put him in palliative care. Pele’s family denied that report.
Pelé led Brazil to victory at the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups and remains one of the team’s all-time top scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pelé’s record during the last World Cup.
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