Respecting privacy while reporting
It is always ethically and personally difficult to write about Michael Schumacher and his condition. For the writer, it is right and necessary to respect the wishes of the German champion’s family, who demand maximum discretion and protection of his privacy. What follows is therefore only a summary of what is known, based on a reconstruction by the Mirror regarding legal controversies, highlighting some of the disturbing fake news that appear daily, especially on social media.
The most persistent false news
The most widespread and completely false story, about a year ago, claimed that Michael Schumacher had attended his daughter Gina Maria’s wedding at the family villa in Mallorca, marking his first public appearance in eleven years. Several German media outlets reported that Michael had been present, even adding surrounding details, such as guests being asked to leave their phones at the entrance to prevent unauthorized photos. Michael Schumacher’s family later denied everything, labeling it one of the many fake news stories about him.
The hype around that story highlighted, on one hand, a morbid curiosity that some have exploited, but on the other, it showed the affection millions of people have for Michael, whose condition has been carefully guarded by a close circle of friends and family since the accident nearly twelve years ago.
The accident
In December 2013, Michael Schumacher suffered a serious skiing accident in the French Alps, hitting his head violently against a rock. His helmet split in two, and the brain injuries he sustained forced the seven-time world champion into a long medically induced coma. Since then, Michael Schumacher has lived at his residence on Lake Geneva, cared for constantly by his wife Corinna and a team of specialists, with absolute discretion regarding his health.
Updates on his condition have been very few, mostly limited to brief statements from his son Mick and wife Corinna. In this context, many have tried to obtain information about Michael’s condition, and in the years following the accident, rumors, shocking stories, and even blackmail attempts have periodically emerged.
Blackmail, convictions, and the missing hard drive
The Schumacher family was recently involved in a serious £12 million blackmail case, leading to the prosecution and conviction of three men in February. Yilmaz Tozturkan was sentenced to three years in prison for threatening the family, demanding £12 million to prevent the release of 900 personal photos, nearly 600 videos, and confidential medical records on the dark web.
The theft was aided by Markus Fritsche, who worked for a security company responsible for the Schumacher household. Fritsche received a two-year suspended sentence, while Tozturkan’s son Daniel Lins, a computer specialist, was sentenced to six months, also suspended. After the verdict, Schumacher’s lawyer, Thilo Damm, revealed the existence of another missing hard drive despite searches in the defendants’ homes: “We do not know where the missing hard drive is,” he said. “I do not have a crystal ball, but there is a possibility of another threat.”
Michael Schumacher’s current condition
Recent news has provided some cautious optimism. Reports partially confirmed by the family suggested that Michael, with Corinna’s help, signed a helmet for Jackie Stewart at a charity event earlier this year. Another report about stimulating the champion through engine noise remains unconfirmed; it is unclear if he was ever in a supercar as a passenger.
Close friends have indicated that Michael Schumacher is still largely unable to communicate verbally and is mostly bedridden. In June, Flavio Briatore stated: “If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory. I prefer to remember him that way rather than lying in bed. Corinna and I talk often, though.”
Earlier this year, German journalist Felix Görner revealed that his old friend is unfortunately “dependent on assistants,” adding: “He is someone who can no longer express himself through language. It is a very sad situation. He was truly an indestructible hero. We cling to hope, to a straw. But he simply isn’t well, so we won’t see him again.”
In a Telegraph article, Flavio Briatore’s ex-wife Elisabetta Gregoraci added: “Michael does not speak, he communicates with his eyes.”
Maintaining privacy
Among the few people allowed to visit Schumacher is his manager Sabine Kehm, a German journalist who has worked for the family for over 25 years, dedicated to safeguarding his privacy. “Michael’s health is not a public matter, so we will continue to make no statements on it. We must protect his private sphere. Legally and in the long term, any statement about his health would diminish his privacy.”
In the 2021 Netflix documentary on Schumacher, his wife Corinna stressed the need to keep her husband’s condition private: “We are trying to move forward as a family, as Michael liked and still likes. And we are moving forward with our lives. For me, it is very important that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we protect Michael.”
These and a few other pieces of information are the only verified insights into Michael Schumacher’s condition. Hope for improvement remains alive, but it is rightly up to the family to decide if and when to share it.
Leave a Reply