Pele’s mum, Celeste Nascimento, is unaware the soccer legend has died, his sister, Maria Lucia do Nascimento, revealed, yesterday.Maria looks after their mother, Celeste, who has just turned 100 and whose home is said to be on the route funeral organisers have planned before the football star is laid to rest in the world’s tallest cemetery.Overnight it emerged Pele’s only surviving sibling has yet to tell the matriarch her famous son has lost his fight against colon cancer.
She said in an interview in her homeland: “We talk but she doesn’t know the situation. She’s in her own world.”Referring to the three-time World Cup champion by his family childhood nickname of Dico, she added: “She opens her eyes when I mention his name and say, ‘We’re going to pray for him’ but she’s not really conscious of what I’m saying.”Pele died at Sao Paolo’s Albert Einstein Hospital on Thursday from multiple organ failure linked to his long battle against colon cancer.
His mum celebrated her 100th birthday last month, with her son recording the special moment on Instagram.He wrote alongside a photo of him with his arms around his loved one: “Today we celebrate 100 years of Celeste’s life.
From a young age she taught me the value of love and peace. I have well over a hundred reasons to be thankful for being her son.