Offer to help ‘wake up' Michael Schumacher rejected by stricken F1 legend's wife Corinna, ex-teammate reveals

Scottish Sun

16 hours ago

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MICHAEL Schumacher's wife Corinna rejected offers to help "wake up" the F1 legend, a former teammate has revealed.
Italian F1 star Riccardo Patrese said he offered to help the seven-time world champion with recovery, but claims it was rebuffed by his wife.
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Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious head injury in 2013
Credit: Alamy
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Michael Schumacher and his wife Corinna before his accident in 2013
Credit: Alamy
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Riccardo Patrese said he offerd to help with Schuey's recovery
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Michael Schumacher (left) with teammate Riccardo Patrese (right)
Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd
World champion Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered a serious head injury after a skiing accident in December 2013.
Pal Patrese said he believed a familiar voice would help the former Ferarri and Mercedes star to recover from his tragic accident.
He told Listofsweepstakescasinos.com: "Then he had the accident.
"That is a very sad moment. You know that sometimes if they hear [a familiar voice], some boys wake up, that they recognise a voice.
"I asked [Schumacher's wife] Corinna if they wanted me to go there and try to help if I could.
"Well, if I could, I would have, but they said, 'No, thank you'.
She said it's not the moment. But that moment has never come."
Schumacher's wife Corinna has spent the years since creating a private world around Michael as he continues his recovery.
Over the last decade, his condition has remained a secret.
Schuey Blackmail Plot
Patrese added: "I know nothing [about his illness], but from the first moment of course I was in very good connection with Michael, because of the national team of drivers for soccer for charity.
"He was the captain of the team. When I left, I gave to him the armband of the captain and he was really very happy to do it."
In 2022, Late F1 legend Eddie Jordan told the Irish Mirror he tried to arrange a visit with Schumacher, but his efforts were reportedly rebuffed.
Many pals have previously tried to offer help to the F1 legend get back on his feet.
But one former teammate is hopeful that the Formula One icon is "on the mend" after his first public act in 12 years.
Schumacher recently signed fellow motorsport great Sir Jackie Stewart's helmet alongside dozens of other drivers in a touching move that has left many hopeful about his health.
His autograph marks the stricken F1 legend's only public act since his devastating ski accident in the French Alps almost 12 years ago.
He is said to have signed it with the help of Corinna as an image showed his initials "M.S" on the bottom right of the iconic white helmet.
What happened to Michael Schumacher?
MICHAEL Schumacher's life was hanging by a thread 12 years ago as medics tried desperately to keep him alive after a tragic skiing crash that left him with horrific brain injuries.
The F1 legend was given the best possible treatment as he was put into a medically induced coma, had his body temperature lowered and underwent hours of tricky operations on his brain.
Back in 2013, the retired seven-time 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 his helmet camera revealed he was not travelling at excessive speed when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.
He catapulted forward 11.5ft and crashed into a boulder head first that split his helmet into two and left him needing to be airlifted to hospital for two life-saving operations.
At one point his family were told to brace themselves for the worst case scenario as the situation was much worse than originally believed.
At the time, medics said Schumacher was likely to stay in an induced coma for at least 48 hours as his body and mind recovered.
But the coma ended up lasting 250 days - more than eight months.
After he woke up in June 2014, he was discharged from hospital and sent to his home in Lake Geneva to get further treatment.
Since then his wife Corinna and his inner circle of friends have expertly avoided almost anything leaking out about his health status.
Only small amounts of information have been released including reports that Schumacher was in a wheelchair but can react to things around him.
In 2019, it was said that Schumacher was set to undergo breakthrough stem cell therapy in a bid to regenerate and rebuild his nervous system.
Renowned France cardiologist Dr Philippe Menasche, who had operated on him previously, was set to carry out the treatment that would see cells from his heart go to his brain.
Following the treatment at the Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris, he was said to be "conscious", although few other details were given about his state.
Schumacher's teammate at Benetton between 1994 to 1995, Johnny Herbert, described the signature as an "emotional" moment.
He told FastSlots: "It's wonderful news that Michael Schumacher signed Jackie Stewart's helmet. It was a wonderful moment.
"We haven't seen something emotional like this in years, and hopefully, it's a sign.
"Hopefully, Michael is on the mend. It's been a long, horrible journey for the family, and maybe we'll hopefully see him in the F1 paddock soon."
Schumacher now lives at a £50million custom-built property on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where he is cared for by a dedicated team of medical staff.
Only a handful of trusted people are aware of his current health status, including ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt, his former teammates Felipe Massa and Luca Badoer, as well as longtime manager Sabine Kehm.
He recently became a granddad for the first time last month after his daughter Gina welcomed a baby girl named Millie.
The legendary Formula One driver is believed to have flown from his family's villa in Majorca to their Swiss mansion in a chopper to join his daughter before the birth.
Gina revealed she was pregnant shortly after tying the knot to partner Iain Bethke at a villa in Majorca last year.
There was speculation at the time that her F1 champion dad attended the wedding, but it is unclear if he ever made the ceremony.