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Salman Rushdie made his return to the spotlight on Thursday, nine months after being the victim of a brutal stabbing that left him temporarily on a ventilator and unable to speak.
The 75-year-old author attended 2023 PEN America Literary Gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City where he was joined on the red carpet by his wife, Rachel Eliza Griffiths.
Rushdie, who was stabbed in multiple places, including his eye at a speaking event back in August 2022, wore glasses with a shade over the affected eye.
Rushdie spoke at the event where he was honored with the Centenary Courage Award.
“Terrorism must not terrorize us. Violence must not deter us. La lutte continue. La lutta continua. The struggle goes on,” Rushdie said in his speech.
Rushdie accepted the award on behalf of the “heroes” who tackled his assailant after he was repeatedly stabbed last year.
“If it had not been for these people, I most certainly would not be standing here today,” he said. “I was the target that day, but they were the heroes. The courage, that day, was all theirs. I owe my life to them.”
Rushdie also gave an update in an interview with the New York Daily News at the event.
“I feel great,” he told the outlet. “I have a long association with PEN America, and I’m just happy to be amongst writers and book people.”
In August 2022, Rushdie was flown to a hospital and underwent emergency surgery after being brutally stabbed multiple times. At the time, his agent, Andrew Wylie, shared that Rushdie would likely lose an eye, adding that the nerves in his arm were “severed” and his liver was “stabbed and damaged.”
Police identified the attacker as Hadi Matar. Matar was arrested for attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the second degree, New York State Police said in a statement at the time.
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