Cleveland Indians

Indians mascot Slider visits hospice patient, honors last wish

Cleveland Indians mascot, Slider, went to visit a hospice patient to honor the longtime fan’s one last wish.

No one could say that Charles Savoca wasn’t a diehard fan of the Cleveland Indians.

Growing up in the Slavic Village area of Cleveland, Savoca has been through all of the ups and downs of this franchise. He still roots as hard as anyone for the team known as “The Tribe” to this very day, but this time in a hospice room.

You see, Savoca has multiple sclerosis (MS), and is now in the final days of his life. So Savoca had one last wish, to meet the Indians team mascot. Thanks to Compassus and Falling Water Healthcare Center, they were able to honor his last wish.

On June 5, Savoca got a visit from Slider, the Indians mascot, and according to a press release of the event, Savoca had a smile that lit up the room when he saw Slider walk through the door.

“I have not seen my dad smile so much in a long time,” Brianna Savoca Koehler said of the visit. “My family is so moved and touched.”

So what did Slider do during his visit?

The mascot brought Savoca “Slider” slippers and danced with his grandkids. We’re also pretty sure a great conversation about baseball would have been struck between Slider and Savoca if the mascot could talk.

“I do not know another fan who is as detail-orientated about the game of baseball and the Cleveland Indians than my dad,” Savoca Koehler said, and frankly, this day may have been just as special for Slider as it was for Savoca.

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The point of hospice care is to allow a dying patient to live their lives to the fullest, and for Charles Savoca, seeing Slider was the cherry on the sundae to a perfect and fulfilling life.

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