Viral posts spread baseless claim Noam Chomsky died in June 2024 | Fact check

Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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The claim: Noam Chomsky died in June 2024

A June 18 Threads post (direct link, archive link) shows a picture of linguist and activist Noam Chomsky.

"RIP Professor Noam Chomsky!" reads the post's caption. "You made this world a better place!"

The post garnered more than 1,000 likes in three days. Other versions of the claim were shared on Threads, Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter.

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Our rating: False

Chomsky's wife said he is still alive, and the hospital treating him for a stroke said he was discharged on June 18.

Noam Chomsky alive and recovering at home

Valeria Chomsky told The Associated Press on June 11 that her 95-year-old husband was recovering at a hospital in her native country of Brazil from a stroke he suffered in June 2023. She said he was taken to a hospital in Sao Paolo by ambulance jet as soon as he could more easily travel from the U.S. He was having difficulty speaking, and the effects of the stroke were being felt on the right side of his body, his wife said.

He didn't pass away during his hospital stay, however.

Valeria Chomsky told The Associated Press on June 18 that the claims about her husband dying were false. USA TODAY reached out to her but didn't receive an immediate response.

The Portuguese Beneficence Hospital of São Paulo provided USA TODAY with a statement signed by Medical Executive Director Dr. Renato Vieira and cardiologist Dr. Marcelo Sampaio saying Noam Chomsky was discharged June 18 to continue his treatment at home.

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Both Jacobin and The New Statesman originally published obituaries for the linguist but later removed them and issued corrections.

USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Noam Chomsky's wife debunks claim that he died | Fact check