Phillie Phanatic Brings Joy — and His Usual Silliness — in Visit with Patients at Temple University Hospital

It’s hard to keep a visit from a furry, green, 7-foot-tall Philadelphia icon secret for very long—and formality goes out the window when the mischievous mascot in an oversized Philadelphia Phillies jersey stops by for a visit.

The Phillie Phanatic provided a healthy dose of smiles during a visit with patients at Temple University Hospital – Main Campus (TUH) on June 11. Accompanied by former players and Phillies ballgirls, the Phanatic's arrival signaled an opportunity to lift the spirits of TUH patients and caregivers.

A welcome surprise

The Phanatic went room to room on TUH’s seventh floor, bringing levity and laughter to patients recovering from recent surgical procedures—greeting nurses, physicians, clinical staff and patients alike with his distinctive playful spirit, gyrating belly and the occasional stuck-out tongue.

Patients were aware that they might receive a special visitor, and Alycia was ready in a powder-blue T-shirt featuring the face of current Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh. The Phanatic blew kisses to Alycia, who welcomed the Phanatic’s pick-me-up following surgery to donate one of her kidneys to her father, Daniel.

“When we realized there was an eight-year wait list for a kidney, there was never any doubt I would step up if I was a match, and there was never a doubt that we’d come to Temple for the procedure,” said Alycia. “My father was discharged this week and we FaceTime every day. This surprise (from the Phanatic) was the best feeling.”

Good bedside manner

Next, the Phanatic popped into the room of Denise, a patient recovering from heart bypass surgery. He made himself comfortable, sitting bedside before taking her hand, kissing it several times and posing for photographs.

“It was wonderful,” Denise said, smiling widely, while getting re-assurance from Dickie Noles, a pitcher for the 1980 World Series-champion Phillies, who added: “You’re in the right place. Temple Hospital is unbelievable.”

Of course, the Phanatic squeezed in time for some playful mischief, too.

At one end of the floor, the big guy pretended to smudge off staffing updates from a dry-erase board. Down the hall, he even snuck in time to get some important work done, bumping staff from their workstations and began tapping away at the keyboards.

There’s never a dull moment when the Phanatic visits.