Renowned linguist, activist, and social commentator Noam Chomsky finds himself in a hospital bed in Brazil, his wife’s homeland, where he continues to recuperate from a severe stroke suffered a year ago, as confirmed by his spouse, Valeria Chomsky, on Tuesday.
Valeria communicated via email that her 95-year-old partner is currently under medical care in a Sao Paulo hospital, a journey facilitated by the improvement in his condition since the stroke in June 2023. Their decision to relocate to Brazil in 2015 proved fortuitous, providing them with a residence there. The information aligns with a recent report in the Brazilian publication Folha de S.Paulo, detailing Noam’s challenges in speech and the impact on the right side of his body. His daily routine involves visits from a team of medical specialists including neurologists, speech therapists, and pulmonary experts.
In a poignant observation shared with Folha de S.Paulo, Valeria revealed that her husband remains engaged with current events, notably expressing his dismay and outrage through a gesture—raising his left arm—when confronted with images of the conflict in Gaza.
Noam Chomsky, hailed internationally as a symbol of dissent and intellectual autonomy, has significantly influenced discourse through his activism and critical analysis, particularly critiquing U.S. policies in regions like the Middle East and Central America, along with his scrutiny of media compliance. His writings and lectures have captivated millions, shaping debates on crucial societal issues.
Formerly associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chomsky transitioned to the University of Arizona in Tucson in 2017, where he currently holds the prestigious title of Laureate Professor of Linguistics and occupies the Agnese Helms Haury Chair.
His groundbreaking 1957 publication, “Syntactic Structures,” revolutionized the field of linguistics by asserting that humans possess an inherent linguistic capacity, enabling them to generate and comprehend novel sentences—a theory that reshaped linguistic inquiry.
Valeria Chomsky also disclosed to Folha de S.Paulo her contemplation of relocating to a seaside apartment in Rio de Janeiro, citing research suggesting that exposure to sunlight could aid in the recovery of stroke patients.
