The health of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher has been shrouded in mystery ever since his life-changing skiing accident.
The 55-year-old former racing driver hasn't been publicly seen since the tragedy more than a decade ago, and it has been reported that he spends his days in an at-home hospital facility receiving around-the-clock care. His family have remained tight-lipped about his condition, with his devoted wife, Corinna Schumacher, said to exercise extreme caution with only trusted visitors.
The family is now reportedly fighting to keep details about his health under wraps while an ongoing blackmail trail involving his ex-bodyguard goes to court. Markus Fritsche, who worked with Schumacher until about 2021, is accused of aiding and abetting blackmail of the family, allegedly using hundreds of private photos, videos and the driver's medical notes.
He has now appeared in court in Germany alongside Yilmaz Tozturkan, a bouncer, and his son, Daniel Lins, an IT expert, over the alleged extortion plot. Tozturkan is accused of 'threatening' to release family photos on the dark web unless they paid up €15,000,000.
Corinna has filed an application for the case to be heard in private, meaning the public can be excluded from the hearing if her husband's health is discussed, German newspaper Bild reports. Fritsche allegedly told Tozturkan over a coffee he was 'in possession of this material and he asked if we could do anything with it,' according to MailOnline.
It comes after last month it was believed the ring of protection around the star relaxed following reports that he attended the wedding of his daughter Gina-Maria and her husband Iain Bethke earlier this year. The 27-year-old equestrian star, who has followed in her dad's athletic footsteps, tied the knot at the family's £27million Majorcan villa on September 28.
Reports from Germany claimed that Schumacher was present at the ceremony, but strict rules remained. Wedding guests were allegedly asked to leave their phones at the door so that Michael wouldn't be photographed.
However, the claims were disputed by the seven-time world champion's close friend. Ex-Formula 1 star and Le Mans winner Johnny Herbert shut down the reports and labelled the suggestions as 'fake news'. He told Flashscore : "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."
Neurosurgeon Jussi Posti previously called out the claims as highly unlikely due to the condition Schumacher is said to be in. The rumoured condition of the sportsman would pose great difficulty for his attendance, Posti notes, though Schumacher has previously been flown from the family's home to their Majorcan villa.
"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," Posti told Iltalehti. "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."
In 2013, the Schumachers' lives changed forever when Michael crashed while skiing in the French Alps, striking his head against a rock. His helmet took most of the impact, but his brain injury was still severe, and after undergoing two life-saving operations, the sporting legend spent months in a medically induced coma. Right from the beginning of the ordeal, Michael's family did their best to keep the details of his condition out of the public eye, although a few updates were given.
In the immediate aftermath, it was confirmed that Michael was fighting for his life and was in critical condition. Another statement wasn't released until April 2014, when the family shared that Michael had shown 'moments of consciousness and awakening'. The following summer, it was confirmed that Michael was out of the coma and had been moved to a rehabilitation facility.
By September 2014, Michael had been brought back to his family home on Lake Geneva in September 2014, where he was cared for around the clock by Corinna and a team of medics. Having dedicated herself to guarding her husband's dignity, Corinna has permitted only a select few trusted friends and relatives to visit him, under strict protocols. Meanwhile, it's understood only a handful of people know the details of Michael's condition and care.
Late in 2014, fans gained a rare insight into Michael's condition after fellow former racing driver and close friend Philippe Streiff revealed that Michael was paralysed and used a wheelchair. Philippe, who also uses a wheelchair after a racing accident, shared: "He is getting better but everything is relative. It's very difficult. He can't speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair paralysed. He has memory problems and speech problems."
Meanwhile, ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt previously spoke of Corinna's incredible determination in caring for her beloved husband but said that his miraculous survival had 'consequences'. He told Bild: "I've spent a lot of time with Corinna since Michael had his serious skiing accident on December 29, 2013. She is a great woman and runs the family. She hadn't expected that. It happened suddenly and she had no choice. But she does it very well. I trust her, she trusts me. Thanks to the work of his doctors and the cooperation of Corinna, who wanted him to survive, he survived - but with consequences."
In September 2020, it was reported that Michael had been spending more time in Majorca, where Gina's wedding took place. And more devastating details emerged about the reality of his condition. At the time, Elisabetta Gregoraci, the ex-wife of former F1 team boss Flavio Briarote, told Spanish press: "Michael doesn't speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him and I know who they are." In additional comments made on the Italian version of Big Brother, Elisabetta claimed: "They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house."
In the 2021 Netflix documentary SCHUMACHER, Corinna emphasised the importance of protecting her husband's privacy, stating: "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. It's very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael."
Sadly, this vow came under threat over the summer, when it emerged that the family were blackmailed by a father and son allegedly threatening to release sensitive images of the F1 legend in the aftermath of the crash.
Despite the heartbreaking difficulties they've endured, the family have stayed resilient, sharing sweet tributes to Michael, and remembering joyful memories. Back in January, Michael's children Mick and Gina took to social media to mark their dad's birthday with childhood photographs. Mick wrote: "Happy birthday to the best dad ever. Love you. Captioning her own nostalgic post, Gina said: "Happy Birthday Papa! Throwback to one of many of our adventures."
Unfortunately, despite this display, it's said that some family connections have become strained. In November last year, Michael's younger brother Ralf spoke of his heartache at losing contact with Corinna and Michael in the aftermath of the horrific accident.
Speaking with German magazine Bunte, Ralf, who also enjoyed an impressive racing career, shared: "When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles. If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I'm there. They go their own way."
He continued: "I miss the Michael of the old days. Life is unfair from time to time. Michael was very lucky throughout his life. But then there was this tragic accident. Michael wasn't only my brother. When we were kids, he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me literally everything about kart racing."
However, Ralph, 49, was in attendance at his niece's wedding despite being previously estranged. Ralf came out as gay back in July, nearly ten years on from his 2015 divorce from former Playboy model Cora. There have been rumours that the Schumachers harboured concerns about Cora's 'potential to be indiscreet', but they reportedly 'have no concerns' about Ralf and new partner Etienne, who both received invites.
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