Rudy Giuliani was taken off a ventilator and is now breathing on his own after a sudden, severe respiratory collapse following a trip to Paris, his doctor says. What began as rapidly worsening breathing sent him to the hospital and onto life support, then into a critical phase where last rites were called. Doctors report a dramatic turnaround, with his team and supporters calling the recovery surprising and hopeful given his medical history.
According to his doctor, Giuliani started feeling ill after returning from Paris, and his breathing deteriorated enough to require immediate hospitalization and ventilatory support. Medical staff placed him on a ventilator as his condition became life-threatening. At the worst point, family and clergy were alerted and a priest was summoned to the bedside.
Doctors removed the ventilator after he improved, and he is now breathing independently and able to speak, though he remains in a critical but stable condition. Medical updates emphasize cautious optimism as clinicians keep him under close observation. The shift off mechanical ventilation is being treated as a key sign of recovery potential.
“He’s a fighter — the way he was yesterday in such a critical condition, he did have a priest come anoint him,” Ryan told Fox News. “And all the prayers from around — it’s like a miracle. This guy’s got 9 lives, today he’s doing much better.” Ryan said she expects Giuliani to make a full recovery.
A spokesperson noted Giuliani’s long history of lung trouble dating back to his work at Ground Zero after Sept. 11, when he was exposed to toxic debris and later diagnosed with restrictive airway disease. That history has complicated his respiratory outlook for years and explains why doctors treated this episode with extreme caution. The long-term effects of such exposure remain relevant to his current care.
RUDY GIULIANI HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT IN 2020 ELECTION DEFAMATION CASE That legal history has shadowed his public profile alongside ongoing health battles, making any medical crisis a matter of intense public attention. While treatment focuses on stabilizing his breathing and monitoring organ function, the broader context of his public life continues to draw notice.
In a separate mention, BERNARD KERIK, FORMER NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER AND 9/11 FIGURE, DIES AT 69 — a reminder of how that era still shapes the stories that surround Giuliani and others who responded. The connections to 9/11 exposure and its fallout are part of the narrative many supporters cite when explaining the toll on his health.
In a video shared on X, Ted Goodman said Giuliani is now “breathing on his own” and remains in “critical but stable condition.” “Mayor Rudy Giuliani is the ultimate fighter,” Goodman said, echoing the upbeat line his medical team has offered. Those close to him framed the improvement as a mix of medical care, faith and determination.
Giuliani, 81, has faced multiple health setbacks but stayed active in public life. He was seriously injured in a car crash in New Hampshire in August 2025, suffering a fractured thoracic vertebra, multiple lacerations and other injuries, yet he returned to work and public appearances afterward. Doctors say the latest improvement is an important turning point, but they will continue to monitor his condition closely in the days ahead.
