Premature reports of Noam Chomsky’s death refuted by account from family of ongoing recovery
In June, reports of renowned linguist, philosopher, and political activist Noam Chomsky’s apparent death surfaced across several news sites and social media platforms. The reports brought a wave of tributes to Chomsky, 95, and his numerous efforts in speaking out against U.S. foreign policy—including his opposition of American involvement in the Vietnam War and his criticism of U.S. support for the State of Israel amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict—and for his advancements in the field of linguistics.
For the past year, Chomsky had been in recovery at a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, following a massive stroke. Soon after the reports surfaced, which came after a local newspaper’s reporting of his apparent worsening condition, Chomsky’s wife formally responded to an emailed query from the Associated Press on June 18 that reports of his death were false. A statement from the hospital said that Chomsky was discharged that same day to continue his treatment at home, as reported by the Associated Press. Many of the reports and obituaries were soon retracted after the finding.