Andrew Wylie, the literary agent for famous author Salman Rushdie, revealed the nature of the injuries Rushdie continues to struggle with after being attacked on stage Aug. 12, 2022.
Rushdie was attacked by a 24-year-old man later identified as Hadi Matar just as he was about to begin a public lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, according to Politico. The injuries he sustained were severe, and have proven to be long-lasting, Wylie revealed during an interview with El Pais, Oct. 20. Wylie says Rushdie’s wounds “were profound, but he’s lost the sight of one eye,” according to El Pais. He also lost the use of one of his limbs.
Appalling update on permanent effects of the attack on Salman Rushdie – and the terrible impact of his wounds. Next time you hear somebody talk about the ‘harm’ or threats to ‘safety’ caused by free speech, remember what real harm is. https://t.co/zDIDvUWmC8
— Matthew d’Ancona (@MatthewdAncona) October 23, 2022
Wylie revealed that the famous author also suffered serious neck injuries and sustained life-altering wounds that have deeply affected his day-to-day life.
“One hand is incapacitated because the nerves in his arm were cut,” Wylie said to El Pais.
He went on to describe the other wounds that were not classified as being the most severe compared to the others, but were equally devastating and painful.
“And he has about 15 more wounds in his chest and torso,” Wylie said. “So, it was a brutal attack.” (RELATED: J.K. Rowling Receives Death Threats After Speaking Out About Attack On Salman Rushdie)
Awful news. Salman Rushdie has lost sight in an eye and the use of one hand after his stabbing onstage in New York in August. This was an attack on #freedomofexpression, not just Mr Rushdie’s but all of ours. We stand in solidarity with him now and always.https://t.co/aiJGQW7maA
— The Free Speech Union (@SpeechUnion) October 23, 2022
Wylie dismissed a question surrounding Rushdie’s current location, and refused to reveal where he was staying during his time of healing, according to El Pais.
“I can’t give any information about his whereabouts. He’s going to live … That’s the more important thing,” Wylie said, according to El Pais.
Rushdie, an award-winning author, has received a series of accolades over the course of his career and is 75 years old. His attacker has been arrested and charged with assault, as well as attempted murder, according to NBC News.