Family shares rare message sent to Michael Schumacher

The family of Michael Schumacher has shared a message it has sent to the Formula 1 legend after a long wait for concerned fans.

Michael Schumacher’s family have shared an agonising message to the F1 legend 10 years after his tragic ski crash.

The sporting icon was left fighting for his life after a horror skiing incident in the French Alps, exactly a decade ago.

As widely reported the Formula 1 icon catapulted forward more than 3.5m and crashed into a boulder head first. The contact split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for two life-saving operations, The Sun reports.

Michael was then placed in a medically induced coma to try to reduce the swelling and in the decade since the F1 superstar has never been seen in public and health updates have been very rare.

His family, as directed by his wife Corinna, have continued to keep his health a secret and his inner circle small.

Now those close to him have shared their first public message to the seven-time world champion in more than eight months.

Formula-One driver Michael Schumacher and his wife Corinna. AFP PHOTO / JENS KALAENE.

The Keep Fighting Foundation, founded and run by Michael’s family have urged the “inspiration” to keep fighting.

“An inspiration for so many. Certainly for us,” the foundation wrote on Twitter.

Still our inspiration 💪#KeepFightinghttps://t.co/ySHmPL70Rv

— Keep Fighting Foundation (@keepfighting) April 9, 2023

It was accompanied by the hashtags #KeepFightingMichael and #KeepFighting.

Some of Michael’s closest friends and his son are trustees at the foundation.

As an accomplished skier, the retired seven-times world champion, and his then 14-year-old son set off on the Combe de Saulire ski run in the exclusive French resort of Meribel.

Footage from Schumacher’s helmet camera revealed he was not travelling at excessive speed when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.

Doctors later said the headgear is the only reason he’s still alive.

Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher, right, of Germany walks with the team's General Director Jean Todt. AP Photo/Andy Wong.

Details of the care the 54-year-old is receiving from doctors emerged earlier this week.

German publication BILD recently revealed that alongside the 15 doctors, Schumacher also has a range of masseurs and assistants as part of his care team.

BILD also broke the heartwarming news about the ex-Mercedes driver being given regular trips in their cars as part of his treatment.

It comes as his younger brother Ralf has admitted the F1 legend may never completely recover, despite receiving advanced medical treatment.

He said: “Nothing is like it used to be.”

Ralf, who also raced and won six F1 Grands Prix, told German outlet Bild this week: “Life is unfair at times.

“That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.”

He added: “Michael wasn’t only my brother.

“When we were kids he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me everything about kart racing.

“There may be an age gap of seven years but he was always by my side.”

— This story originally appeared on thesun.co.uk and has been republished with permission