Fu and Yang have two school-age children, Aaron and Anita, neither of whom know about their father’s condition.

Although Yang was hospitalized immediately following the stroke, he told relatives Tuesday that the left side of his body is still numb. 

“I didn’t realize until I spoke to a doctor in California last night that his condition is really very serious,” Fu said.  “She told me that Jianli needs to be immediately taken care of.”

Genser said he thought that beatings and a severe reduction of calories may have caused the stroke.

“There is no doubt in my mind that how he was treated in prison affected his condition,” Genser said.

Meanwhile, Fu said she will take steps to secure her husband’s release, writing a letter to the Chinese Ambassador and appealing to the U.S. government.

“I don’t know what else to do,” she said. “If he can come home, I will take good care of him.”