Former Mayor Ed Koch, who is just short of his 88th birthday, has been admitted to New York Presbyterian-Columbia Hospital. He is being treated for pneumonia, his former communications director, George Arzt, said Wednesday.
“He has a lot of antibiotics in his system, but he is in good hands,” said Arzt.
Koch served in City Hall from 1978-1989 and has always been as strong a supporter of Israel and Jewish causes as he is a workaholic, keeping up a busy schedule of practicing law, writing opinions and movie reviews and making public appearances and political endorsements. He is known for political independence and bipartisan endorsements and has written numerous books about politics as well as his experiences in office.
He has been hospitalized with with a range of age-related illnesses, most recently three months ago with anemia, but doctors hope he can be released in time for his birthday on Dec. 12.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg recenty renamed the 59th Street Bridge in Koch’s honor.
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