F1 Legend Michael Schumacher Is No More Bed Ridden, Let's Look At The Unfortunate Incident Of 2012

Michael Schumacher, the F1 racing champion, disappeared from the public eye after a tragic skiing accident in 2012. According to the reports, he had been bedridden ever since, with very little information about him being released to the media.   

For more than a decade, Schumacher’s condition has remained one of the sports world’s most closely guarded secrets, with his wife Corinna repeatedly stressing that “private is private” when it comes to his personal life.

Michael Schumacher's early interest in racing and motorsports

The iconic German racer was born on January 3, 1969. Michael is widely celebrated for his achievements in Formula 1 races. He set records for the most F1 Grand Prix race victories, 91 to be exact, although it was later broken by Lewis Hamilton and won seven F1 series championships, although he is now tied by Hamilton.

Michael Schumacher’s love affair with speed began early, long before Formula One fame followed him everywhere. As a teenager, he dominated the go-karting scene, winning the German junior karting championships in 1984 and 1985, and later going on to claim both German and European karting titles in 1987. By the late 80s, it was clear he was destined for bigger machines, and his move to Formula Three proved that point when he clinched the German F3 championship in 1990.

His big break came in 1991 when Schumacher made his Formula 1 debut with the Jordan team, instantly turning heads with his raw talent. He switched to Benetton, soon after, and that’s where his career truly took off. He claimed his first two world championships in 1994 and 1995, announcing himself as the sport’s newest superstar. In 1996, Schumacher made the bold move to Ferrari, a team rich in history but starved of recent success, finishing third in the championship in his first season.

Michael's early achievements and record-setting wins

Just when things were gaining momentum, disaster struck in 1999 when a serious crash left him with a broken leg and sidelined him for much of the season. But Schumacher did what he always did best and came back stronger. In 2000, he stormed back to win the championship, giving Ferrari its first drivers’ title in over two decades. That victory opened multiple gates, as he went on to dominate the sport with five consecutive world championships from 2000 to 2004, rewriting record books along the way. With seven titles to his name, he surpassed the long-standing record held by Juan Manuel Fangio.

Even in the later stages of his career, Schumacher remained firmly in the spotlight. He finished third in the race in 2005 and narrowly missed out on another title in 2006, ending as runner-up. From karting prodigy to Formula One legend, Schumacher’s journey was anything but ordinary, and his name remains synonymous with dominance, drama and sheer racing brilliance.

What happened to Michael in the 2012 unfortunate incident?

By the end of 2006, Schumacher retired from racing and started serving as a test driver and adviser for Ferrari. He broke the record of Alain Prost, a French Driver to achieve 91 F1 Grand Prix race victories. Michael spent 3 seasons with Mercedes and announced in December 2009 that he would return for the 2010 season as a driver for the Mercedes team, but he never won a race or even finished higher than eighth position in overall F1 standings after his comeback and until his retirement in 2012. 

Following his retirement at the end of 2012, Michael decided to take a vacation with his family and friends in the upmarket resort of Meribel, France. He was familiar with the land, having spent multiple vacations in the Alps. Schumacher owned a chalet in the valley and knew every nook and cranny of the place. He mostly visited the resort during the F1 off-season and around his birthday in January, which was always a pleasant time to visit the area. 

The unfortunate incident, however, took place on the trip he took at the end of 2013, on December 29, 2013, around 11 am according to local time, Schumacher decided to go on one of the off-piste areas beside the slope to help a fellow skier. Subsequently, he hit one of the exposed rocks in the snow and lost control. The hit threw him in the air, and he fell 10 metres away, causing a collision with another hidden rock in the snow. The collision cracked his helmet into two, and he hit his head on the right side. 

44-year old (then age) Schumacher was still conscious but unable to answer any questions or make any movements, which made the medics call for an immediate air extraction. He was admitted via air ambulance at Moutiers hospital and then shifted to Grenoble, a specialised trauma unit, where the extent of his injuries was revealed. 

The F1 racer went into an immediate coma upon his arrival to the hospital and was advised immediate surgery to prevent any kind of swelling to the brain and ensure a constant supply of oxygen to keep him alive. Hospital director Professor, Marc Penaud stated his condition as extremely serious during the press conference and also claimed that they were uncertain of what the future might hold for Michael. 

The doctors treating Michael put him in an artificial coma after the surgery, and it was revealed that Michael would not have been alive if he hadn’t been wearing a helmet when he collided with the snow-covered rock. Michael was surrounded by his friends and family while he was in the hospital.

Grief and support for Michael's recovery and the family poured in from the world of Formula 1

The world of Formula 1 suffered a great shock when the news of his accident and an undetermined future came out. Mika Hakkinen, Schumacher’s chief rival through junior categories and at the height of their McLaren/Ferrari duels in the late 1990s, posted a message of support for the man with whom he had shared so many on-track memories. He said:

“Your accident is now just another challenge.” 

Sebastian Vettel, who was mentored by Michael, expressed his shock and concern over his health and wished for him to get better as soon as possible. With his news spreading like wildfire, messages of hope and early recovery came pouring in from all over the world and F1 athletes, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Sports legend Boris Becker, Lukas Podolski and more.

Outside Grenoble Hospital, the mood was heavy and emotional as the world closely followed the Schumacher family’s ordeal. Corinna Schumacher, clearly heartbroken, had to face aggressive photographers and reporters each day as she made her way to the hospital, turning a deeply personal moment into a very public one.

Supporting her were her children and a small group of close family members. Michael Schumacher’s long-time press officer, Sabine Kehm, handled the media with calm strength, sharing only what the family allowed. Michael’s brother Ralf and father Rolf were also there, quietly standing by the family during this difficult time. The first news of Michael’s recovery came in 2014 when he finally came out of the coma and was moved from Grenoble hospital to start the process of his recovery. He was then brought to the University Hospital of Lusanne in Switzerland, which was close to his home.

The Schumacher family took strict actions against the media, trying to invade their privacy

Two cases of depravity, lack of civic sense, and selfishness from the media came forward during Schumacher’s recovery. One when Michael was in Grenoble, a journalist dressed as a priest tried to get an inside scoop from the family and on Schumacher and second, when Michael was moved to Switzerland, an executive at the Swiss helicopter air rescue company was arrested on suspicion of leaking private medical documents and health updates of Michael without the family’s authorisation, which was confirmed when the cops tracked his IP address. The accused was then identified with poof of him trying to sell Michael’s details for Euro 50,000 to various media outlets and detained. He hung himself in his jail cell the next morning. 

While Corinna prepared their family home on Lake Geneva for his swift recovery, a German newspaper in 2015 published that Michael was able to walk, raise an arm and had recovered from the accident. The report was dismissed, and the Schumachers filed an official court case against the publication. During the trial, it was revealed by Michael’s lawyer that the athlete was still unable to walk or move his body in any way whatsoever. Kehm said: 

“Unfortunately, we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true,”

Michael's recovery and health updates were released in the media

In January 2019, Schumacher’s 50th birthday was marked quietly, with a brief statement being released by his family to thank supporters around the world. It was shared that his victories, records and moments of joy were being remembered and celebrated.

The family assured fans that he was being cared for in the best possible way and that everything humanly possible was being done to support him. It was also requested that his wishes be respected, particularly when it came to keeping his health a private matter, as it had always been. The message concluded with gratitude for the continued friendship and with warm wishes for a healthy and happy year ahead.

The fans and well-wishers of Michael Schumacher gave out a sigh of relief when the latest reports of him not being bedridden anymore came forward. Reports suggested that the racer can now sit upright on a wheelchair and is being wheeled around in his home in Majorca and near Lake Geneva.

The world of sports is hoping for his early recovery and a return to the F1 circuit.

Read more: Alexis Ortega, The Latin-American Voice Of 'Spider-Man' And 'Tadashi' Passes Away At The Age Of 38

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)