He is one of the most famous athletes of all time.
But over the past decade, 55-year-old Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has virtually disappeared from public life.
His break followed a life-changing skiing incident in 2013, which left him in a devastating coma.
A statement released almost a year after the accident told fans that he was no longer in a coma and was “continuing a long phase of rehabilitation.”
As the father-of-two is spotted for the first time at his daughter’s Spanish wedding, fans are wondering: what is his health like today?
Formula 1 legend Michael Schumer, 55, who suffered a life-changing skiing accident in 2013, was reportedly seen in public for the first time in more than a decade at his daughter’s wedding in Spain
A file photo dated January 11, 2000 shows German Formula 1 Ferrari driver Schumacher making a turn while skiing in the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio, Italy
The last real update fans received was in 2023, when it was reported that Schumacher had been driving a Mercedes AMG sports car in an attempt to stimulate parts of his brain that he once used for racing.
Former Farrari boss Jean Todt has spoken about his recovery several times since the accident.
In an interview with the French magazine late last year, he said: ‘Michael is here, so I don’t miss him. (But he) just isn’t the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
‘His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him.
‘That’s all there is to say. Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.’
Rumors that Schumacher cannot speak were supported by his son Mick during a 2021 Netflix documentary about his father’s life. He said, “I think Dad and I would understand each other in a different way now.”
The effects of traumatic brain injury depend on a number of factors, including the type, location and severity of the injury, says brain injury charity Headway.
It adds that the symptoms of brain injury are wide-ranging, from physical effects such as balance problems, headaches and dizziness to cognitive, emotional and behavioral effects. These can include memory problems, fatigue and anger.
On December 29, 2013, Schumacher’s life changed quickly due to the tragic accident during a family holiday in the French Alps.
He fell meters away from a popular ski slope, resulting in serious head injuries.
Schumer decided to go off-piste and was unaware of some boulders that had been obscured by snowfall.
His skis clipped one such boulder and the sudden force catapulted him into the air, leaving him unable to avoid a head-on collision with another boulder.
He fractured his skull and suffered brain damage.
Ski patrols and a helicopter rescue team arrived on the scene within minutes, with eyewitnesses claiming Schumacher was conscious after the accident but could not answer questions and was moving erratically.
Realizing the severity of the situation, the rescue team quickly immobilized him and transported him to the nearby Moutiers Hospital, where he arrived at 11:53 am.
From there, a helicopter took him to the Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, a leading medical facility equipped with a specialized neurosurgery unit, for two life-saving operations to reduce pressure on the brain.
A later investigation revealed that Schumacher was traveling at a normal speed and was not skiing beyond his capabilities at the time of his accident.
But it is believed his injuries – which would almost certainly have been fatal had the former driver not been wearing a helmet – were worsened by a motorcycle accident in February 2009 in which he suffered fractures to his head and neck.
He was subsequently in a coma for six months to aid his recovery and did not return to his parental home in Switzerland until nine months after the accident.
It is believed that medical professionals and his wife provide 24-hour care.