Celeste Arantes, the mother of legendary Brazilian footballer Pele is died.
She died on Friday at the aged of 101 after spending years in a vegetative state and two years after her son passed away.
Arantes had spent the last five years in a vegetative state and was not told about her son’s death back in 2022, Goal.com reports.
The mother of the legendary footballer, who married Joao Ramos do Nascimento, at the age of 16, also had another son, Jair, who died in 2020 of cancer, the same illness that claimed Pele’s life.
A stay-at-home mother, she dedicated her life to caring for her children.
“From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace,” Pele wrote on Instagram on her 100th birthday, along with three pictures of them together at different stages in life.
Nine days later, Pele was admitted to hospital in Sao Paulo, where he died of cancer. His funeral procession included an emotional stop at his mother’s house.
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele was the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).
Arantes was 17 when she gave birth to her first child on October 23, 1940, a baby who would grow up to be the man widely considered the greatest footballer of all time.
“Rest in peace, grandma,” Pele’s eldest son Edinho wrote on Instagram, a message illustrated with a photo of him hugging his grandmother.
No details were given on the cause of death. According to local media Arantes had been hospitalized for eight days and died on Friday.
At the time of her son’s death, family members said Arantes had cognitive difficulties and was unaware her world-famous son had died.
Pele’s former club Santos in statement released on Friday condoled with the family.
The Clube statement read: “Santos Futebol Clube is deeply sorry about the death of Celeste Arantes do Nascimento, the mother of our eternal king.
“She had 101 years of an inspiring life story. A black woman who faced endless adversities in life for the good of her family.”
The Brazilian icon died in December 2022, aged 82, following a lengthy battle with cancer. He had suffered kidney and prostate problems beforehand and had surgery to remove a tumour from his colon in 2021.
Pele was one of her three children and she was originally against her son becoming a professional footballer. However, these views gradually changed as he became more successful in the sport.
