Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who earned international recognition such as an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II and the moniker 'America's Mayor' over his leadership during the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, is currently in the hospital and is in 'stable but critical' condition, his spokesperson said on Sunday night, 3 May.

The sudden health crisis follows months of intense public activity for the 81-year-old Republican. Here are ten defining photos of the former New York City mayor, whomUS President Trumpdescribed as 'aTrue Warrior, and the Best Mayorin the History of New York City, BY FAR.'

On Sunday, Giuliani's spokesperson, Ted Goodman, shared a major health update regarding the former mayor.He wrote on X: 'Mayor Rudy Giuliani is currently in the hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition. Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he is fighting with that same level of strength as we speak,' Goodman stated. He also called on the public to 'join us in prayer for America's Mayor.'

Goodman did not disclose any specific cause of the hospitalization, but signs of illness were apparent during the recent broadcast of his Friday night online show, 'America's Mayor Live'. As reported byThe Associated Press, Giuliani appeared raspy and audibly strained during his show, which he hosted from Palm Beach, Florida.

As Giuliani opened the show, the former mayor coughed and had a raspy voice than usual. Giuliani remarked that his voice was 'a little under the weather' and that he 'won't be able to speak as loudly as I usually do, but I'll get closer to the microphone.'

Sources close to the former mayor suggest he was taken to a Florida hospital on Sunday after his condition worsened.

Last year, as reported byNBC News, Giuliani was also hospitalised after suffering injuries, including a spinal fracture, following a car crash in New Hampshire. His vehicle was 'struck from behind at high speed' while he was a passenger. After the accident, Trump said that he would award Giuliani thePresidential Medal of Freedom.

Giuliani first rose to national prominence as a relentless federal prosecutor in the 1980s, earning the moniker'The Mafia Buster'for his aggressive and groundbreaking work as a US Attorney.

Before becoming mayor, he was already a household name in New York, having spearheaded the Commission Trial, where he pioneered the use of theRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Actto indict the heads of the 'Five Families' that controlled organised crime in New York City. By targeting the top leaders simultaneously, he was credited with dealing a near-fatal blow to the American Mafia's hierarchy.

In 1993, he was elected as NYC Mayor, which marked a turning point for the city, as he implemented 'broken windows' policing strategies aimed at reducing crime by addressing smaller quality-of-life infractions.

Source: International Business Times UK