Writer Luis Fernando Verissimo is hospitalized in serious condition in Porto Alegre

Writer Luis Fernando Verissimo, 88, is hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) at a hospital in Porto Alegre, with early-stage pneumonia, according to a report by the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper. Verissimo's condition is serious.

The writer and columnist suffered a stroke in 2021 , which left him with lasting effects, affecting his speech and forcing Verissimo to stop writing. He also suffers from Parkinson's disease and heart problems. Of the few words that come out of his mouth, most are in English, a language he speaks fluently due to his childhood in the United States.

The stroke came at a delicate time, as the writer had undergone surgery the previous year to remove bone cancer from his jaw. The problem was resolved without the need for chemotherapy, but a cognitive part of his brain had been affected, which made it difficult to organize his thoughts, even though he understood what was going on around him.

Verissimo is one of Brazil's most important chroniclers. Son of Érico Verissimo, also a writer and a major figure in Brazilian literature, and Mafalda, he still lives in the house he inherited from his parents in the Petrópolis neighborhood of Porto Alegre.

The Analyst from Bagé , The Lies Men Tell , Ed Mort and Impossible Dialogues are some of the most famous titles by the columnist and humorist.

Verissimo also contributed to several newspapers during his career. The day before his stroke, in January 2021, he was writing a column for the newspaper O Globo . The accident also ended his partnership with Estadão , which began in 1988.