His family thought they were saying goodbye.
Machines were breathing for him.
A priest was called to perform the last rites.

Rudy Giuliani’s sudden collapse after a trip to Paris left even his doctors bracing for the worst. N

In the quiet chaos of a hospital room, Rudy Giuliani lay sedated, his lungs failing, his body overwhelmed by pneumonia complicated by long-term airway damage linked to 9/11. As his breathing deteriorated, doctors made the decision to place him on a ventilator. His loved ones gathered, and a priest was summoned to administer last rites, a moment that signaled how grave his condition had become. For a time, it looked as if this might be the end.

Then, slowly, his body responded. By Tuesday, Giuliani was able to come off the ventilator and breathe on his own. His doctor, Dr. Maria Ryan, described the turnaround as nothing short of a miracle, crediting both medical intervention and the wave of prayers sent his way. Still in critical but stable condition, he is talking again, and those closest to him now dare to speak of full recovery rather than farewell.