Michael Schumacher, the legendary Formula One champion, who has been out of the public eye for over a decade following a severe brain injury, has found himself back in the headlines after his daughter's wedding.
Reports circulated claiming that Schumacher attended his daughter Gina Schumacher's wedding to Iain Bethke at a private villa in Majorca. The reports, however, have been swiftly denied by close friends and corroborated by a neurosurgeon who has commented on the news.
In December 2013, Schumacher suffered a catastrophic skiing accident at the Méribel resort in the French Alps while skiing off-piste with his son Mick. Despite wearing a helmet, he suffered a severe brain injury and was immediately airlifted to medical facilities, ultimately being placed in a medically induced coma to manage brain swelling.
For months, Schumacher remained in a coma, awakening gradually by June 2014. Since then, he has continued his recovery under extensive care.
Privacy measures have enveloped Schumacher's condition, managed proactively by his wife, Corinna. The family relocated to Spain, where a specialized medical setup has been integrated into their home, indicating the intensive and ongoing nature of his care. Corinna has remained a guardian of Schumacher's privacy, offering only limited updates on his progress.
The recent rumors about Schumacher attending Gina's wedding were promptly debunked by Johnny Herbert, a former fellow F1 racer and one of Schumacher's close friends. Herbert said the following:
"It will always be a closed shop. The most recent rumour was he attended his daughter's wedding. Unfortunately, from what I understand that was all A1 fake news and no truth in it."
Elisabetta Gregoraci, former wife of ex-F1 boss Flavio Briatore, has provided some insight into Schumacher's current state, too:
"Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house."
Reports also emerged of Schumacher being driven in a Mercedes AMG sportscar, an attempt to engage parts of the brain associated with his former racing career.
Reflecting on their relationship, Schumacher's son Mick spoke in a 2021 documentary:
"I think dad and me, we would understand each other now in a different way now."
Adding a medical perspective, a neurosurgeon, by the name of Jussi Posti, commented on the challenges of Schumacher's recovery and public appearances.
"If a hospital has been built in his house, with everything medicalised around him, it seems that he has been in hospital most of the time. Based on the information available, I don't think he leads a very active life.
"Everything points to him being unwell. As bedridden patients, most people become so frail and stiff that it is no longer possible to get them out of bed after so many years."
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