TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — To break up the routine of shots, surgeries and therapies, pirates stopped by the children’s floor at Tampa General Hospital today to show the kids what Gasparilla is all about.
Beads, footballs and coloring books. That’s all it takes to make a sick child smile today.
“It makes his day and I didn’t even expect it and we just came over here and it was like whoa and it just makes his day,” said Kim Baylosis, parent of a sick child.
Many children spend a few weeks at Tampa General. Some spend months.
“They go through so much when they’re in the hospital and there’s just not a whole lot of stuff that brightens their day so something like this he’ll talk about it all day,” said Baylosis.
Pirates invaded room after room but didn’t steal a thing.
“It means so much to give a little bit of normalcy in a situation that’s not,” said Baylosis.
The pirates have been coming to the hospital year after year. It’s one of the events they look forward to the most.
“I love to see the smile on their face they love to see pirates,” said pirate Rick Wolf.
Many kids unfortunately will have to watch Gasparilla out of the window from their rooms at the hospital.
Thankfully, most experienced a little bit of Tampa tradition today.WFLA News Channel 8 will be hosting live coverage of the Gasparilla Invasion and Parade of Pirates. Join Marco, Gayle, Leslee and Leigh 2:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 28 live on News Channel 8 and on WFLA.com
