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British-Pakistani writer Hanif Kureishi hospitalised after being injured in fall

British-Pakistani writer Hanif Kureishi hospitalised after being injured in fall

Taking to Twitter, the author says he may never be able to walk or lift a pen again.
07 Jan, 2023

British-Pakistani writer of The Buddha of Suburbia, the international bestseller of 1990, Hanif Kureishi collapsed in Rome and says he may not be able to walk or write again. He wrote in a tweet that since the incident that occurred a few days before New Year, he is unable to move his arms or legs.

The Oscar-nominated scriptwriter and author said in a series of tweets on Friday, that he thought he was dying after the fall.

“I had just seen Mo Salah score against Aston Villa, sipped half a beer, when I began to feel dizzy. I lent forward and put my head between my legs; I woke up a few minutes later in a pool of blood, my neck in a grotesquely twisted position, my wife on her knees beside me,” he wrote.

The author is in hospital and has had a spine operation that led to only “minor improvements”.

The 68-year-old said he felt like “he had become divorced” from himself and believed he was dying and had only “three breaths left”.

“From the floor my wife heard my frantic shouting. She saved my life and kept me calm. For a few days I was profoundly traumatised, altered and unrecognisable to myself. I am in the hospital. I cannot move move my arms and legs,” Kureishi said.

He added that he cannot even scratch his nose or make a phone call or even feed himself , calling it both “ humiliating, degrading and a burden for others.“

He comforted his followers by adding that he has sensation and some movement in all his limbs and will soon begin physio and rehabilition in an effort to get better. He also thanked the doctors and nurses at the hospital for taking care of him.

“At the moment, it is unclear whether I will ever be able to walk again, or whether I’ll ever be able to hold a pen, if there is any assistance that I would be grateful for, it would be with regard to voice-assisted hardware and software, which will allow me to watch, write and begin work again, and continue some kind of half-life and begin work again, and continue some kind of half life,” he wrote.

Lastly, he asked his followers to send in ideas that might help him recover. “I want to thank all my readers for their love and support over the years. Love Hanif,” he concluded.

Kureishi is known as an author of books like My Son the Fanatic, Intimacy, The Last Word and screenwriter for My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, The Mother and Venus.

Comments

Ali Jan 07, 2023 03:43pm
He is half-white and full British.
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parker Jan 07, 2023 03:46pm
not a very nice guy. he should have a cold one and laid to rest.
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Jo Original Jan 07, 2023 03:48pm
You only appreciate taken for granted health when you suddenly become ill. May he recover soon.
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Zenath Jan 07, 2023 03:48pm
Neutrals hit job
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Dust2dust Jan 07, 2023 04:23pm
May you recover miraculously. All the best.
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JBashir Jan 07, 2023 04:30pm
Sorry to hear of your tragic incident. Stay strong. Wish you a speedy recovery
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Fastrack Jan 07, 2023 04:46pm
Send him to Pakistan for treatment
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Syed Hasni Jan 07, 2023 05:58pm
Very Sorry Situation, I am still not sure what happened, was it a Mechanical fall and he injured himself ( neck ) or it was that he passed out due to cardiac or Neurological issues. Please clarify for the readers.
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Asif A Shah Jan 07, 2023 06:29pm
Tragic!
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Mansoor Jan 07, 2023 06:30pm
Hope and pray for your good health.
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An Outsider Jan 07, 2023 06:31pm
Thanks to the beer he was drinking?
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Kamal Jan 07, 2023 06:36pm
Save the beer!
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SM Jan 07, 2023 06:37pm
Enjoy the beers.
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Abdul Jan 07, 2023 06:45pm
Nephew of Omar Kureishi
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Fast comment Jan 07, 2023 07:46pm
Get well soon. Don’t lose hope.
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MBA Jan 07, 2023 08:16pm
Don't give up. You are young enough to overcome the problem. Good luck.
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Shahid Jan 07, 2023 08:41pm
Believe me, beer can do worse than that.
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Polaris Jan 07, 2023 08:47pm
Not sure who is correct. According to the British media report, the 68-year-old said he collapsed after feeling dizzy following a walk.
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Jonathan Jan 07, 2023 09:11pm
Drinking in old age has its consequences!
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Azad Jan 07, 2023 09:11pm
Sipped beer, so
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Dr. Shiva Iyer Jan 07, 2023 09:44pm
One of my favorite writers along with Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy. Good luck for quick recovery and lots of love from India. I am a specialist and the prognosis looks promising !! Just put a lot of work on the physical therapy.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jan 07, 2023 09:46pm
Alcohol is the mother of all evils.
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M. Emad Jan 07, 2023 09:52pm
Never heard of 'writer' Hanif Kureishi.
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Aamna Jan 07, 2023 11:10pm
Maybe instead of taunting him about his beer consumption, have some empathy for his plight or is that too much to ask from self righteous 'we're so much better than everyone else therefore have the right to be cruel to anyone we deem not good enough' Muslims? If even a horrible accident and disability of another human being cannot inspire minimal empathy in you then maybe work on softening your own heart before taunting others on their imperfections.
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whenandwhy Jan 07, 2023 11:24pm
I had just seen Mo Salah score against Aston Villa, sipped half a beer..., A British PAKISTANI mate.
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Sajjad Jan 08, 2023 12:02am
Maybe he needed another jab.
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Jawaid kamal Jan 08, 2023 12:56am
Unfortunately he will be paralyzed for rest of his life Tragic accident Most likely severed his cervical cord. He needs empathy and not scolding. We all live in glass houses.
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Johnny Jan 08, 2023 01:05am
@M. Emad He thinks he is a great writer!
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Johnny Jan 08, 2023 01:07am
@Ali Thats what he thinks!
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Henchi Jan 08, 2023 01:37am
Guys, he was drinking non-alcholic beer, the one sold in Saudi Arabia.
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ENGR Hamid Shafiq Jan 08, 2023 01:55am
@M. Emad Lack of knowledge
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avtar wasson Jan 08, 2023 04:03am
I enjoyed reading his writing style, especially The Buddha of Suburbia
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John Jan 08, 2023 09:18am
@Jonathan Drinking in old age and multi tasking!
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RHS Jan 08, 2023 09:54am
Get well soon Hanif Kureishi. You are a rare talent.
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Shahid Jan 08, 2023 11:02am
Looks like a heart attack or a clot somewhere in the system. Get well soon.
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Imran Ahmed Jan 08, 2023 02:57pm
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. You have a great many well wishers.
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Mohsin Jan 08, 2023 03:03pm
@Ali how is that relevant, given they refer to him as British-Pakistani?
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Mohsin Jan 08, 2023 03:04pm
@parker And you’re a personal acquaintance?
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Mohsin Jan 08, 2023 03:04pm
@M. Emad He’s quite a prolific writer both as a novelist and a columnist. Surprising that you haven’t ever heard of him.
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