What happened to Michael Schumacher in skiing accident that gave F1 legend life-changing injuries

If you were to ask anyone to list their top 10 sports personalities of all time, it's a safe bet that Michael Schumacher would feature. The German F1 driver became synonymous with motor racing and success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, clinching a joint-record seven titles.

However, his life took a dramatic turn on December 29, 2013, when he was involved in a devastating skiing accident. The then 44-year-old sustained life-altering injuries in the incident, which led him to retreat from public life for nearly 11 years - until recently, when he reportedly attended his daughter Gina Maria's wedding last Saturday.

But before we delve into that, let's first review the sequence of events that led to this moment.

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What happened to Schumacher?

The driver retired from the sport for the second time in 2012 and was holidaying with his family - wife Corinna, son Mick, and daughter Gina - in the Meribel resort in France in late 2013.

A keen skier, the German owned a chalet in the area and often spent holidays there, usually around his birthday on January 3. On the morning of December 29, Schumacher was involved in an accident where he hit a rock, causing severe damage to the right side of his head and splitting his helmet in two.

Initially conscious, he was airlifted to Moutiers hospital, before being transferred to a specialist unit in Grenoble.

Upon arrival at the hospital, he was in a coma and underwent immediate surgery to reduce brain swelling. Neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes told reporters at a press briefing: "He didn't respond to questions after the accident. He didn't have a normal neurological reaction."

The global community sent heartfelt messages of support for the sports icon. In the weeks that followed, there was intense media speculation about his condition, with one outlet going so far as to send a reporter disguised as a priest to try to enter Schumacher's hospital room — a move widely condemned as distasteful.

Progress on Schumacher's condition was scant in the initial weeks, but in April 2014, Sabine Kehm, Schumacher's long-standing media representative, issued an update stating that he had shown moments of "consciousness and awakening". Later, in September 2014, Schumacher was transferred to his home in Switzerland to continue his rehabilitation.

"Michael has left the CHU Grenoble [hospital] to continue his long phase of rehabilitation. He is not in a coma anymore," Kehm announced.

Following another egregious breach of privacy by someone attempting to reveal details of Michael's health status, his wife declared that their residence was being transformed into a top-tier medical facility, complete with a team of healthcare specialists, where he would persist in his recovery by the tranquil Lake Geneva. Legal proceedings ensued.

Legal action

Ever since the incident, Michael Schumacher's health has been kept a closely guarded secret, with his wife Corinna fiercely maintaining his privacy. The family has previously taken legal steps to protect this; in 2016, they filed a lawsuit against the German magazine Bunte for falsely claiming he could walk and raise an arm.

"Unfortunately, we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true," said Kehm. "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."

Statement on 50th birthday

On his 50th birthday in 2019, the family issued a statement to update fans on his condition: "We want to remember and celebrate his victories, his records and his jubilation," the statement read.

"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."

AI interview backlash

Further legal action was taken earlier this year against Die Aktuelle, a German publication that released an article in 2023 titled "Michael Schumacher, The First Interview, World Sensation".

However, it was later revealed that the interview was artificially generated using data from Schumacher's previous interviews. As a result, editor-in-chief Anne Hoffmann was dismissed, and Funke managing director Bianca Pohlmann issued a public apology.

"This tasteless and misleading article should never have appeared. It in no way corresponds to the standards of journalism that we – and our readers – expect from a publisher like Funke," she stated. Schumacher's family received a settlement of €200,000.

What's been said recently?

Recently, Jean Todt, Schumacher's former Ferrari boss and then-FIA president, who has maintained a close relationship with the family since the accident, shared his thoughts with L'Equipe. "[He] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him."

Todt added: "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."

Mick Schumacher, now also an F1 driver, expressed his admiration for his father: "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."

Daughter's wedding

Last Saturday, it was reported that Schumacher attended his daughter Gina's wedding in Spain. The 27-year-old married Iain Bethke at the family's villa in Majorca.

German media reported that her father was there to witness the celebrations at the lavish ceremony, appearing in front of the other wedding guests.

However, it was also reported that guests at the wedding were required to leave their mobile phones at the door to prevent any unauthorised photos of Schumacher being taken.