Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento, also known as Sandra Regina Machado, was a Brazilian politician and the daughter of the legendary soccer player Pele. She died of cancer on October 17, 2006, at the age of 42, after a long legal fight to have Pele recognized as her father. In this article, we will explore the life and death of Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento, and how she became the daughter the king did not want.
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The Love Affair Between Pele and Anizia Machado
Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento was born on August 24, 1964, in Guarujá, a coastal city in the state of São Paulo. Her mother was Anizia Machado, a maid who worked for Pele’s family when he was a young player with Santos, one of the most successful soccer clubs in Brazil. According to Sandra’s book, The Daughter the King Did Not Want, published in 1998, Pele and Anizia had a love affair that lasted for several years, and resulted in Sandra’s birth. However, Pele denied being her father and refused to take a paternity test. He also married Rosemary Cholbi in 1966, with whom he had three children: Edson, Jennifer, and Kelly.
The Legal Battle for Paternity Recognition
Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento grew up without knowing her biological father, and faced many difficulties in her life. She suffered from depression, attempted suicide, and was involved in drug trafficking. She also had two children, Octavio and Sandra, from different relationships. In 1991, she decided to sue Pele for paternity recognition and the right to use his surname. The legal battle lasted for five years, and involved several DNA tests, witnesses, and appeals. In 1996, the court finally ruled in Sandra’s favor, and declared that Pele was her father. She also won the right to use his surname, and to receive a monthly pension of 10,000 reais (about $4,500 at the time).
The Estranged Relationship Between Sandra and Pele
Despite the court’s decision, Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento and Pele never had a close relationship. Pele never visited her, nor invited her to his home or events. He also did not attend her funeral, and sent a wreath in the name of his family instead. He said he preferred to pray at home, according to a spokesman. Sandra, on the other hand, said she did not hate Pele, but felt sorry for him. She also said she did not want his money, but his love and respect. She claimed that Pele was ashamed of her, and that he did not want to admit that he had a daughter with a black woman. She also accused him of being a bad father, and of neglecting his other children as well.
The Death of Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento
Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, and underwent chemotherapy and surgery. However, the cancer spread to her bones and lungs, and became terminal. She died on October 17, 2006, at the Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa in Santos, where she had been hospitalized for two weeks. She was in her second term as a city councillor in Santos, where she was elected in 2000 and 2004. She was also involved in social projects, such as helping drug addicts and homeless people. She was buried at the Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica in Santos, where her mother Anizia Machado was also buried.
Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento was one of the six children that Pele had, four of them out of wedlock. Pele also had two children from his second marriage with Assiria Lemos, Joshua and Celeste, and another daughter, Flavia Kurts, from another affair. Pele once said in an interview: “I was a normal youth and had many adventures.” However, his adventures came at a cost, and left behind a legacy of pain and resentment for some of his children, especially Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento, the daughter the king did not want.
