What happened to legendary Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher and how is he doing now?

Born Jan. 3, 1969, in Hürth, North Rhine-Westphalia, Michael Schumacher is a 55-year-old German former racing driver. Best known for competing in Formula One from 1991 to 2006 and then again from 2010 to 2012, Schumacher also found success in Karting, Formula Three, Formula 3000, and the World Sportscar Championship before competing in the pinnacle of four-wheeled motorsports.

He holds the record for the most Formula One World Drivers’ Championship titles with seven (a record British driver Lewis Hamilton tied in 2020). He also finished second twice and third three times. When Schumacher retired in 2012, he held countless records in the sport, with the most wins (91), most pole positions (68), and most podium finishes (155). While those records have since been broken, Schumacher’s record for the fastest laps (77) remains, along with several others.

Tragically, on Dec. 13, 2013, just over a year after he retired from racing, something happened to Schumacher that would change his life forever.

Michael Schumacher’s accident and current situation explained

On Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, while skiing in the French Alps with his then 14-year-old son Mick (now a successful racing driver in his own right and currently competing in Formula One), Schumacher fell and hit the right side of his head on a jagged rock, suffering a severe brain bleed as a result. He was wearing a helmet, but the impact was so forceful that it badly injured him anyway, and physicians have said he would most likely have died had he not been wearing it.

Schumacher was conscious when rescuers reached him, but deteriorated fast. He was airlifted to Grenoble Hospital, where he underwent two surgeries before being placed in a medically induced coma. By March 2014, he was showing encouraging signs, and in April 2014, signs of consciousness meant he was gradually withdrawn from the coma (as per the BBC).

He left Grenoble Hospital in June 2014 to go to the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, for further rehabilitation (as per 24 Heures) and, by September, was allowed to head to his family home on the shores of Lake Geneva to continue his rehabilitation there (as per the BBC).

Detailed updates regarding Schumacher’s condition are rare. His family keeps the details exceptionally private, and according to The Daily Star, as of October 2024, only three people can visit him. It’s believed he can neither walk nor talk, and The Daily Star also revealed he can only communicate using his eyes.

It remains to be seen whether his situation will ever improve or if he’ll be seen in public again, but we wish him all the very best in his continued fight.

The Keep Fighting Foundation

Michael Schumacher’s family launched the Keep Fighting Foundation in 2016. Directly inspired by Schumacher, it’s a registered charity that upholds the values of “Keep Fighting” and “Never Give Up.”

The charity’s projects are ongoing worldwide and continue the charitable work that was always so important to Schumacher. These include topics related to culture, education, science, and public health.

We’ll leave you with a 2007 quote from Schumacher, which the Keep Fighting Foundation uses as inspiration. “I’ve always believed that you should never, ever give up and you should always keep fighting even when there’s only a slightest chance.” Here, here.