Salman Rushdie Taken Off Ventilator, is Speaking and ‘Joking’

Surviving grim injuries after he was attacked on Friday, author Salman Rushdie was reportedly taken off a ventilator, breathing on his own and even joking around by Sunday. 

On Twitter Sunday, Rushdie’s son, Zafar, broke his public silence on his father’s brutal attack.

“My father remains in critical condition in hospital receiving extensive ongoing medical treatment. We are extremely relieved that yesterday he was taken off the ventilator and [with] additional oxygen and he was able to say a few words. Though his life changing injuries are severe, his usual feisty & defiant sense of humour remains intact."

Zafar went on to thank doctors, police, first responders and bystanders for rushing to his father’s aid.

This comes after “The Satanic Verses” author was on stage Friday, set to give a lecture to a crowd at the Chautauqua Institute, when authorities say 24-year-old Hadi Matar rushed the stage and stabbed him repeatedly.  Doctors say the 75-year-old author will lose an eye. He also suffered a damaged liver, several stab wounds to his stomach, severed nerves in his arm.

At an arraignment Saturday, Madi pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury with a deadly weapon. He was denied bail.

Officials are investigating whether the decades-old fatwa the Ayatollah Khomeini placed on Rushdie for his writings, seen by many in the Muslim world as controversial, was the motivation for the attack. There has been a $3 million bounty on Rushdie’s head since the 1980s.

His attorney, Nathaniel Barone told CNN Madi is cooperating.

Madi’s next court appearance is on Friday.

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