Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator following a dramatic health crisis that required a priest to perform last rites at his bedside, with his doctor calling the turnaround miraculous and expecting full recovery for the eighty-one-year-old.
Dr. Maria Ryan told Fox News that Giuliani began feeling ill after returning from Paris, with his breathing deteriorating to the point requiring hospitalization and ventilator support. His condition turned critical, prompting the priest's visit for anointing, but Ryan said he's a fighter who has made remarkable improvement, describing him as having nine lives given his dramatic recovery from such dire circumstances.
"The way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him. And all the prayers from around—it's like a miracle. This guy's got nine lives, today he's doing much better."
A Giuliani spokesperson pointed to his health history following September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks when he was exposed to debris while responding at Ground Zero, later leading to restrictive airway disease diagnosis. The eighty-one-year-old has faced numerous health challenges in recent years but remained active in public life, previously making headlines after being seriously injured in an August 2025 New Hampshire car crash.
Authorities said the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind on Interstate 93 in Manchester, leaving him with fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations, and other injuries. Despite those setbacks, Giuliani returned to work and continued appearing publicly in following months, demonstrating the resilience that has characterized his recovery from this latest medical crisis.
Giuliani earned national hero status for his leadership during and after the September 11th attacks, spending countless hours at Ground Zero coordinating response efforts and providing steadfast leadership during America's darkest hours. His subsequent health issues stem partly from that selfless service during the terrorist attack aftermath when he repeatedly exposed himself to dangerous conditions.
Giuliani's remarkable recovery from critical condition demonstrates the fighting spirit that made him America's mayor during the September 11th crisis. His health challenges stem partly from selfless service at Ground Zero where he prioritized others' safety over his own wellbeing. Americans should remember his heroic leadership during national tragedy while hoping for his complete recovery from this latest medical setback that briefly threatened his life before prayers and medical intervention produced what his doctor describes as a miraculous turnaround.