An Outpouring by Fans: They Really Do Love Lucy

One fan stayed up all night watching her black-and-white reruns, then went to the hospital and gave blood in her name. Others came by the dozens to her Beverly Hills mansion and taped get-well cards to the front door. Michael Jackson, the singer, called her husband just to say he cared.

All because they love Lucy.

Telegrams, telephone calls, and even notes sent by facsimile machine on Wednesday poured into the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where Lucille Ball was recovering from emergency heart surgery. Officials at the hospital, which often provides care for ailing celebrities, said it was one of the largest outpourings they had ever witnessed.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, this is an absolute 10,” Cedars spokesman Ron Wise said. “Before it’s over (the hospital) will look like a combination of the U.S. post office and the botanical gardens.”

Ball underwent more than six hours of open heart surgery after suffering a heart attack Tuesday, her second in a year. As of Wednesday afternoon her condition was “increasingly stable,” according to Wise.

“Technically we have her listed as critical because of the serious surgery she underwent,” he said. “But all of the indicators continue to be positive, and we believe she can have a full recovery and resume her career.”

The hospital’s switchboard began lighting up with calls from concerned friends and fans shortly after the 77-year-old comedian was brought into the medical center at midday Tuesday by her husband, Gary Morton. Wise said calls came in by the hundreds, from as far away as Australia and Europe.

Ball, who gained worldwide fame in the 1950s with the pioneering television situation comedy “I Love Lucy,” was in intensive care Wednesday and could not receive any of the calls or telegrams. Her husband, however, told reporters that she was aware of them, and that they appeared to make her feel good.

“She didn’t say anything. But her eyes were smiling,” an obviously relieved Morton said. “That’s what made me happy.”

Since Tuesday, fans have been coming to the couple’s Beverly Hills residence to post notes of encouragement on the front door. Morton said there were 50 notes on the door by Wednesday afternoon.

Morton said he had received telephone calls from numerous celebrities, including Jackson, actress Eva Gabor and publisher Malcolm Forbes, and also from countless fans who had never met the zany redhead known universally as Lucy. Morton said most of the fans just wanted to say they were thinking about her.

“I got calls from all over the world, England, Australia,” said Morton, who could only spend a few minutes at a time with his wife. “How they got our phone number I’ll never know.”

Wise said that by early Wednesday afternoon Cedars had received nearly two dozen get-well messages sent via fax machine and about 50 telegrams. He said that “the post office hasn’t quite caught up with us yet,” but he was expecting the hospital to receive a flood of mail by today.

‘Lot of Love Out There’

“There’s a lot of love out there for Lucille Ball.”

This was demonstrated in many ways Wednesday. An old woman with a cane hobbled into the hospital lobby and, crossing herself, offered a simple prayer: “God Bless Lucille Ball.”

Nick Louros, 28, took his love for Lucy an extra step. He gave blood in her name.

“Last night we were watching her (‘I Love Lucy’) show, the one at the Brown Derby where she lit her nose on fire by mistake,” Louros said, chuckling. The next morning, after an entire evening of taped “I Love Lucy” reruns, he called the hospital and was told “they needed blood. So I came in and donated blood in the name of Lucille Ball Morton.”

Louros said it didn’t matter that Ball might never know what he did.

“I did it,” he said, “for my heart.”

Farley Thomas said he and his 11-year-old daughter walked from their Beverly Hills apartment to the medical center Wednesday to drop off an envelope stuffed with poetry they had written and wanted Ball to have.

Though they had never met, Thomas said it felt like he had known Lucy his entire life, as though she was part of his family.

“I’m from the ‘50s. I literally grew up with her, and we’ve got another generation that’s watching her right now,” Thomas said, pointing toward his young daughter. “I look at her as an inspiration.

“I call her just one big smile to the world.”

During the day, a bouquet of red azaleas was delivered to the hospital’s information desk for Ball, but it was turned away.

“We’re discouraging flowers from being sent to the medical center (because) they’re not allowed in ICU,” Wise said. Ball probably will remain in intensive care until the weekend, and then be moved to a private room, he said.

Hospital workers were not surprised by the flood of support for Ball. Explained hospital volunteer Annette Pearson: “I love her. Doesn’t everybody?”