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Bevo Sent Flowers to Mascot Mike the Tiger Before He Passed

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Even though they’re considered rivals, the mascots from the University of  Texas and Baton Rouge’s Louisiana State University shared a meaningful moment that shows how rivalries don’t matter when something very serious is occurring.

Click2Houston.com reports that Bevo sent Mike the Tiger flowers when UT officials learned that Mike VI’s health had taken a turn for the worse. The tiger’s Twitter page acknowledge the kind gesture and felt the love from Bevo, but no well-wishes were enough to bring the tiger’s health back.

Sadly, SBNation.com writes that Mike the Tiger passed away by euthanasia injection on Tuesday, October 11th. The tiger was diagnosed in May with spindle cell sarcoma, which Cancer.gov explains as, “A type of sarcoma that contains spindle cells. Under a microscope, spindle cells look long and slender. Sarcomas are cancers that begin in muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, or other connective or supportive tissue in the body.”

Mike the Tiger was 11-years-old and lived nine years on LSU’s campus. He was the sixth in a line of tigers that have represented the college since 1936. He symbolized the lively spirit of the college and their athletic teams, and he will be dearly missed by students and especially, his loving caretakers.