Marchionne Said to Be on Life Support

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne suffered an embolism during surgery for an “invasive shoulder sarcoma” and has been left with irreversible brain damage, sources tell Lettera43, an 8-year-old, Milan-based online new daily.

The report says Marchionne had known for some time about the cancer diagnosis but hid the news from Chairman John Elkann and was taking cortisone to ease shoulder pain that made arm movement difficult.

To avoid suspicion, Marchionne blamed his condition on fatigue and said he was going for a checkup at a hospital in Zurich, according to Lettera43. It says the executive had hoped to recover from the surgery in time to present FCA’s latest strategic plan to analysts on July 25.

But the news service says Marchionne suffered the embolism—an obstruction of an artery caused by a blood clot or air bubble—during the surgery. The report says he has been in a coma since then and is on artificial life support. Doctors say there is no hope of recovery, according to Lettera43.