Michael Schumacher’s spouse disclosed that he nearly opted out of skiing on the fateful day of his accident in December 2013. The Formula 1 icon suffered a head injury after hitting a rock at the Meribel resort in France, leading to a coma that lasted until June 2014.
Schumacher, who will celebrate his 57th birthday this Saturday, has remained out of the public eye since the incident 12 years ago. His wife, Corinna, has maintained his privacy by keeping a tight-knit circle and limiting updates on his well-being.
Aside from his wife and children, Mick and Gina-Maria, individuals who have spent time with Schumacher include his longtime manager Sabine Kehm and close Formula 1 associates Ross Brawn, Jean Todt, Gerhard Berger, Luca Badoer, and Felipe Massa. While Corinna refrains from discussing Schumacher’s health, she did recall a conversation they had on the day of his life-altering accident.
In the 2021 Netflix documentary ‘Schumacher’ chronicling her husband’s illustrious career, Corinna mentioned, “Shortly before the incident in Meribel, he mentioned to me: ‘The snow conditions aren’t ideal. We could travel to Dubai and skydive there.'”
“I’ve never held God accountable for what occurred. It was simply incredibly bad luck, the worst luck one could encounter in life. It’s always distressing when you wonder, ‘Why Michael or us?’ But then, why does it happen to others?”
“I miss Michael every single day, and it’s not just me but also the children, the family, his father, and everyone close to him. I mean, everyone misses Michael.”
Their son Mick expressed similar sentiments in the documentary, lamenting the absence of discussions about his racing career with his father, who ignited his passion for motorsport.
Mick conveyed, “Since the accident, these shared experiences and moments that I believe many have with their parents are no longer there, or are diminished.”
“And in my opinion, that’s a bit unfair. I think my father and I would relate differently now. We would understand each other in a new way because we speak the same language, the language of motorsport. We would have so much more to talk about. That’s where my mind often drifts. Imagining how amazing that would be. That would be everything. I would give up everything for that.”
Schumacher clinched seven F1 world championships between 1994 and 2004 during his tenures with Benetton and Ferrari. Following his retirement, he made a comeback with Mercedes that lasted until 2012. Meanwhile, Mick debuted in F1 for Haas in 2021 before transitioning to endurance racing.
Reports surfaced that Schumacher attended his daughter Gina-Maria’s wedding to Iain Bethke in September 2024 at their opulent villa in Majorca. Guests were reportedly asked to surrender their phones to prevent leaks about the F1 legend’s condition.
Although Schumacher has not been visible post-accident, Elisabetta Gregoraci, the former wife of ex-Benetton chief Flavio Briatore, provided insights during an interview with Spanish media in 2020.
She revealed, “Michael doesn’t speak; he communicates through his eyes. Only three individuals can visit him, and I am aware of who they are. They relocated to Spain, and his wife established a hospital within their residence.”