What really happened to Michael Schumacher? Accident explained as he's seen for first time in decade
Michael Schumacher suffered life-changing injuries in a skiing accident 11 years ago as little information has been given about his condition since
Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher's health condition has been surrounded by secrecy for a decade following a skiing accident.
The sports star, 55, was seen in public for the first time in years as he attended his daughter Gina-Maria's wedding. She tied the knot with new husband Iain Bethke last Saturday in a glamorous ceremony at the family's villa in Majorca. It has been reported Michael was there on the happy day.
Michael continues to require round-the-clock medical care after his life-changing skiing accident more than a decade ago. He crashed while carving through the snow in the French Alps, hitting his head on a rock. The racing star spent months in a medically induced coma and was allowed to return to the family home on Lake Geneva in September 2014.
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His wife Corinna has cared for him alongside a team of medics. She has allowed only a select few trusted friends and relatives to visit him and only a handful of people are said to know the details of his condition and care. Since little is known about Michael's true condition and recovery, here is a timeline of his accident...
What happened?
Michael retired from Formula 1 at the end of 2012 and decided to go on holiday with his wife Corinna, son Mick, and daughter Gina – as well as some family friends, to the upmarket resort of Meribel in France. They holidayed in late 2013 and Michael had spent years enjoying ski trips with his family across Europe.
He owned a chalet in the valley and knew the resort and pistes very well. On December 29 that year, Michael headed out one morning to one of the 'off-piste' areas beside the slope. He went out to help another skier - which became a fateful decision. Michael hit one of the exposed rocks in the uncleared section of snow and lost control.
He fell and collided with another rock 10 meters away, striking his head. His helmet was cracked in two by the impact and was initially conscious. Michael, who was 44 at the time, was unable to answer questions coherently and displayed 'erratic' behaviour. Medics called for an air extraction as he was airlifted to hospital at Moutiers, before being transferred to a specialist trauma unit in Grenoble.
Michael was in a coma when he arrived at hospital and needed immediate surgery on his brain. A press conference was held, where it was confirmed his condition was "extremely serious". He suffered from heavy bleeding and bruising on the brain, leaving him being put into an artificial coma.
Neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes said at the time: “He didn’t respond to questions after the accident. He didn’t have a normal neurological reaction.”
How is Michael now?
The sports icon started his process of waking up from his coma in January 2014. It took until April that year for an update on his condition, as his long-time press officer stated he had been showing some signs of “consciousness and awakening”. Two months later, it was confirmed Michael was no longer in a coma and left hospital.
A statement read: "Michael has left the CHU Grenoble [hospital] to continue his long phase of rehabilitation. He is not in a coma anymore." He was taken to the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland, close to his home for further medical rehabilitation. His wife Corinna built a comprehensive medical suite at their family home on Lake Geneva.
It is believed to be staffed by doctors and aides as the family decided to opt for privacy. The Schumachers took legal action against German magazine Bunte in 2016, when they claimed he was able to walk and "raise an arm". During a court hearing, the family's lawyer, Felix Damm, revealed Michael was unable to walk or stand, even with assistance.
Michael's press officer said: “Unfortunately, we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true. Such speculation is irresponsible because, given the seriousness of his injuries, his privacy is very important for Michael. Unfortunately, they also give false hopes to many involved people.”
Health update
In 2019, Michael turned 50 and a short statement was released by his family to thank fans. It read: "We want to remember and celebrate his victories, his records and his jubilation. You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him.
“Please understand if we are following Michael’s wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy. At the same time, we say thank you very much for your friendship and wish you a healthy and happy year 2019.”
Family's thoughts
In the Netflix series Schumacher, Corinna said: “Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find. We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.
“And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will. We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.” Their son Mick, who witnessed the accident, said: “I just have huge respect for Dad. I have always had that. He just has this presence. When he walks into a room, everyone goes quiet. That’s how I remember it.
“Every time I look at him, I tell myself, ‘Yes that’s how I want to be.’ Such strength, such total peace of mind. I think Dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way. Simply because we speak a similar language, the language of motorsport. And that we would have so much more to talk about. That’s where my head is most of the time. Thinking that it would be cool. That would be it. I would give up everything just for that.”
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