Revealed: The FOUR rocks that left Michael Schumacher fighting for his life... as picture shows blood in the snow where he smashed his head
- Manager denies reports Formula One star had been travelling up to 60mph
- Paramedic said seven-time champion struck boulder then hit three rocks
- Bloodstains could be seen at spot where former F1 ace smashed his head
- Schumacher fell while skiing off-piste in French Alpine resort of Méribel
- Medics say he is 'fighting for his life' after being placed in artificial coma
- His condition remained stable after spending a third night in hospital
- Doctors warn that the next 24 or 48 hours of his recovery 'will be decisive'
- His wife, daughter and son are 'in state of shock' as they hold bedside vigil
- Star surrounded by lucky charms which family hope will help him recover
- Journalist dressed as priest caught trying to gain access to Schumacher
By Alexandra Williams and Rebecca Evans and Simon Tomlinson and Allan Hall
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Michael Schumacher lost control of his skis after hitting a boulder and was sent flying into three other rocks, it was claimed today.
The Formula One legend was 'catapulted' headfirst with such force that it broke his helmet in two.
In a new picture released today, bloodstains can be seen in the snow at the spot where the former F1 ace smashed his head.
It also apparently shows the rocks which the seven-time champion struck in the French resort of Meribel on Sunday, leaving him with devastating brain injuries.
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Catastrophic collision: This diagram shows the final moments of Michael Schumacher's horror crash based on reports from eyewitnesses. Spots of blood can also be seen in the snow where the F1 star reportedly landed
Path to disaster: This graphic shows the route which Schumacher took at Saulire mountain in Meribel and the off-piste area where he reportedly crashed while stopping to help a fallen friend
Rescue scene: A picture released yesterday shows a helicopter waiting to fly Schumacher to hospital
According to the first ski patrol paramedic on the
scene, Schumacher hit a boulder which was concealed by snow that had fallen the night before and then struck three
more rocks.
The French national, who asked not to be named, said: ‘We arrived within two minutes of the accident. The man lost control after hitting a rock that was lightly covered with snow.
'He went into the air and he fell and hit three more rocks on the way down. There was a lot of blood around the last rock where he hit his head.
‘The helicopter, which was able to land within 30 metres of the accident, came within minutes.’
He added: ‘Everyone in the resort is extremely sad and we’re praying he comes through this.’
'No significant changes': Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm is surrounded by journalists outside Grenoble Hospital as she updates the media on his condition, saying he had remained stable overnight
Desperate for updates: The media scrum around Schumacher's manager Sabine Khem gives an indication of the worldwide interest in the Formula One legend's recovery
A two-pronged police inquiry has been launched, conducted by the prosecutor in Albertville.
The gendarmerie there is investigating the circumstances of the accident and will collect witness statements.
Mountain police in nearby Bourg-St-Maurice will collect technical data such as weather conditions, snow depth and quality.
A photograph also emerged today of the dramatic moment rescuers desperately battled to save the 44-year-old on the slopes after his horrific crash.
Time of the essence: This is the moment a rescue helicopter collects Michael Schumacher minutes after he hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in the French resort of Meribel on Sunday
Video of the rescue emerged as doctors said Schumacher faces a 'decisive' 48 hours in his fight for life
The image emerged as his manager revealed the seven-time champion had struck his head within moments of going to the aid of a member of his skiing party in the French Alps.
There have been reports that Schumacher had been travelling at up to 60mph when he crashed, but Miss Kehm denied this, describing what happened as ‘extreme bad luck and circumstances’.
Kehm
added that the accident could have happened even 'at 10 kilometres (six
miles) per hour' and took place during 'a normal turning manoeuvre'.
She added: ‘He was not at high speed. He had helped a friend on the piste and then started again.
Vigil: Corinna Schumacher with her husband at this year's Oktoberfest. She has surrounded his hospital bed with candles and lucky charms
'He hit a rock he hadn’t seen when he went to do a curve and he was catapulted in the air and apparently, head down, hit another.’
This morning, she said Schumacher had remained stable overnight, but gave no further details of his condition.
In a brief statement, she said: 'Michael's condition has been supervised all night and has remained stable, overnight and also now.
'The good news for today is that we do not feel it necessary to hold a press conference because there are no significant changes.'
Schumacher's wife Corinna is keeping a constant vigil and has placed a lucky amulet her husband took with him on every race by his hospital bed.
Mrs Schumacher has also surrounded her dangerously ill husband with keepsakes from their children and candles as she prays for his recovery.
The
news comes as doctors yesterday revealed the seven-time F1 champion was
showing slight signs of improvement and had had a second operation. But
they said he remains in a critical condition.
Photographs also emerged of the dramatic moment when he was airlifted from a ski run in the French Alps by a rescue helicopter.
Among the lucky charms his 44-year-old wife has placed by his bed at Grenoble University Hospital is the ceramic amulet she gave him after they wed in 1995, inscribed with the initials of family members.
Schumacher is said to have refused to race without it.
Other sentimental tokens arranged around the bed where he lies in a coma include a hairbrush belonging to 16-year-old daughter Gina-Marie and a golden cross from his son Mick, 14.
Of the cross, which stands by his headboard, Mrs Schumacher, 44, has said: ‘Mick discovered it when he was on holiday with his grandma. It has even been blessed.’
Last night, surgeons said Mrs Schumacher and the children were in a ‘state of shock’.
Her husband’s younger brother Ralf, who was also a Formula One driver, and father Rolf also visited the hospital yesterday.
In shock: Michael Schumacher's father, Rolf Schumacher (centre), arrives at the Grenoble University Hospital Centre where his son is being treated
Concern: Rolf Schumacher has joined the F1 star's wife and children who are holding a vigil at his bedside
Influence: Michael Schumacher made his racing debut at the age of four at a kart track run by his father
Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, was skiing with Mick on Sunday morning when he hit his head on a rock with sufficient force to crack his helmet in two.
He remains in an artificially induced coma at the hospital with Mrs Schumacher and their children at his bedside.
The hospital’s chief anaesthetist, Professor Jean-Francois Payen, said medical literature puts the likelihood of recovery from his injuries at between 40-45 per cent, but added: ‘I don’t work with statistics, I work with patients.’
Yesterday, surgeons said a second operation to remove a blood clot and relieve the pressure on his brain went well.
Jacqueline Hubert, the director general of the hospital, said a scan on Monday showed that there was an opportunity to perform a second operation to remove some of the haematoma, or pooled blood, that was pressing on his brain.
She added: ‘Very late
in the evening a brain scan was carried out and we could see there was a
slight improvement of the situation.
'The scan allowed us to suggest to the family that we had a new surgical intervention to reduce the haematoma, and that surgical intervention took place overnight. A new scan was taken this morning and it showed a slight improvement.’
Neurosurgeon Emmanuel Gay, who performed the operation, said: ‘The dangers are still there. We cannot say we have won because there are still some highs and some lows, but it’s better than yesterday.
‘He is still in a very critical condition, this has not changed. And we still cannot tell how he will be, which state he will be in when he does wake up. We cannot speculate on the future because once again it would be too early to do so.’
Vigil: Schumacher's wife Corrina (pictured with her husband at the Asterix At The Olympic Games Paris premiere in Paris in 2008) is by his beside in hospital as he fights for life
Michael Schumacher with his wife Corinna skiing in the Dolomites in January 2003
Risky: The retired racing driver hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste with his 14-year-old son Mick (believed to be pictured, above, with his father) in the resort of Meribel on Sunday
It emerged yesterday that a cynical journalist tried to take advantage of the Schumacher family's spiritual beliefs by disguising himself as a priest in an attempt to gain access to Schumacher.
The journalist, who has not been identified, was stopped before reaching intensive care and was removed from the Grenoble University Hospital.
Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm said: 'Apparently a journalist dressed as a priest had tried to gain access to Michael’s room. I would not have ever imagined something like this could happen.'
Schumacher, who amassed an estimated £500million fortune during his racing career and now earns £7million a year as an ambassador for Mercedes, fell in a rocky area between two marked pistes – a red run for intermediate skiers and a blue run for beginners. It is not steep, but a lack of snow cover has made the rocks more of a hazard.
Although the area is not a piste, experienced skiers cross it to enjoy the thrill of precision skiing between the rocky obstacles.
Critical: The seven-time champion (pictured on the slopes in 2006) has undergone emergency surgery after suffering a brain hemorrhage in the skiing accident in the French Alpine resort of Meribel
Scene: This is the off-piste spot where Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is believed to have fallen
Hazardous: The area where he fell is between two marked runs ¿ a red, for intermediate skiers, and a blue, for beginners
Danger: The area is not considered particularly steep, but the dangers are the rocks, which are protruding from the snow more than usual because of the lack of snow in Meribel this season
Schumacher was airlifted within minutes of his accident, after being aided by two patrol skiers who found him disorientated but conscious, with his split helmet full of blood.
He was flown to nearby Moutiers before being transferred to a specialist trauma unit 80 miles away in Grenoble.
Schumacher was being kept artificially sedated and his body temperature was lowered to between 34 and 35 degrees C (93.2 and 95 degrees F), to reduce swelling in the brain, reduce its energy consumption and allow it to rest.
The doctors' comments came as new video footage showed the dramatic moment Schumacher was airlifted to hospital. It shows a medical evacuation helicopter taking the Formula One star to hospital in the nearby town of Moutiers.
Schumacher's medical team has refused to speculate on a prognosis for the 44-year-old German.
Positive progress: Schumacher's medical team updates the media on the ex-F1 driver's condition
Cautious: Anesthetist Jean-Francois Payen (second left) warned that Schumacher was 'not out of danger'
Updates: French surgeon and Michael Schumacher's friend, Professor Gerard Saillant (centre) addresses the press conference
But professor Stephan Chabardes, the neurosurgeon who operated on him, said earlier on Monday that the 'next 24 or 48 hours will be decisive'.
He told The Times: 'He was operated upon in a serious condition with a serious, severe brain trauma. We are following the evolution hour by hour.
'He is in a critical condition. The operation was to evacuate the haematoma (bleeding) that could be evacuated. Now we need to protect his brain.'
His comments came as the first pictures emerged of the off-piste area where Schumacher crashed, reportedly while he skied at up to 62mph.
The ex-Formula One driver suffered a brain haemorrhage after falling and hitting his head on a rock so hard that his helmet cracked.
Surgeons performed an emergency operation to reduce pressure on Schumacher’s brain, but said it was too early to 'predict the future' as to what recovery he would make and whether there would be any long-term damage.
The seven-time F1 champion is in an artificial coma at a hospital in Grenoble, France, and is being assessed every hour.
Keeping them in the loop: The doctors said 'a discussion' had taken place with Schumacher's family before the highly risky second operation to remove a blood clot took place
Shockwaves: Dozens of journalists crammed into a conference room at the hospital to relay the latest updates on Schumacher's condition around the world
Treatment: Surgeons at Grenoble Hospital (pictured) are assessing Schumacher's recovery on an hourly basis
Schumacher fell as he skied with his 14-year-old son Mick in the Trois Vallees near the resort of Meribel on Sunday morning.
His medical team yesterday said Schumacher would be dead if he had not worn a helmet, which protected him from a ‘very violent shock.’
Professor Stephan Chabardes, the neurosurgeon who operated on him, said he had suffered from intracranial haematoma – bleeding on the brain – and that scans showed signs of damage to his brain and a build-up of fluid.
Anaesthetist Jean-Francois Payen said: ‘We judge him to be in a very serious situation. We cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher.
‘It’s too early to say what is going to happen and to have a prognosis. Taking into consideration the very violent shock, his helmet did protect him to a certain extent, of course.
‘Somebody who would have this kind of accident without a helmet, certainly, he would not have got to here.’
The ski resort of Meribel in France where Michael Schumacher was injured in a skiing accident
Passionate skier: The chalet (centre) reportedly owned by Schumacher in a private hamlet in Meribel
Schumacher was airlifted to hospital in Grenoble, 80km west of the Meribel resort
Professor Payen said that after the fall Schumacher was not in a ‘normal state of consciousness.’ He was not responding to questions and ‘making spontaneous movements of his four limbs’, he added.
He said Schumacher was being kept in a state of hypothermia to minimise stimuli to his brain.
Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, is a strong skier and knows the Meribel area well as he owns a chalet nearby.
The area where he fell is between two marked runs – a red, for intermediate skiers, and a blue, for beginners. It is not considered particularly steep, but the dangers are the rocks, which are protruding from the snow more than usual because of the lack of snow in Meribel this season.
Some skiers use the section to pass between the pistes on either side. Many stronger skiers seek out such areas, enjoying the thrill of precision-skiing in between the rocky obstacles.
Deputy director Jean Marc Grenier talks to media outside the CHU Nord hospital in Grenoble, French Alps
A Ferrari fan waits in front of the emergency department of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire hospital, French Alps, where German seven times Formula one world champion Michael Schumacher is reported to be treated
A spokesman for the company in charge of the ski area, Meribel-Alpina, said: ‘Michael Schumacher has been faithful to Meribel for many years and knows the area.
'He made the choice to ski off-piste and given the current circumstances, it is a choice that presents a number of risks.
'We have had low snowfall in recent days and the snow is unstable. The rocks protrude or are partially hidden.’
It was a crisp morning and visibility was good. But somehow Schumacher lost control. Some have speculated he may have ‘caught an edge’ of his ski, hit a hidden rock or was skiing too fast.
Messages of support have poured in for Schumacher. German chancellor Angela Merkel said she was ‘extremely shocked along with millions of Germans’ to learn of the accident.
British former F1 champion Jenson Button posted a message on Twitter saying: ‘Michael, more than anyone, has the strength to pull through this.’
And David Coulthard, a racing contemporary of Schumacher, said: ‘As I know Michael from the racetrack, there is no question in my mind that he has the physical ability to take on this challenge – the greatest challenge of his life.’
It is believed the 44-year-old has been transported to hospital near the resort in the province of Savoie in France
Schumacher carving a turn while skiing at the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, in 2000
CHILLING ECHO OF TRAGIC NATASHA RICHARDSON'S FALL
Michael Schumacher regained consciousness quickly and was able to talk to medics after his fall – but this can be typical for victims of life-threatening brain injuries.
Many feel relatively well for hours after the accident, and there are often no immediate symptoms that indicate trauma to the brain. This lack of reaction, known as a lucid interval, can come after the most serious of injuries.
Any delay in medical attention can have fatal consequences, as blood builds up between the skull and the brain, putting extreme pressure on brain tissue.
This is known as an epidural haematoma. Natasha Richardson, pictured above, died after developing the condition following a skiing accident in 2009. The actress, 45, fell and hit her head on a beginner's slope during a ski lesson in Canada.
Miss Richardson, who was not wearing a helmet at the time, initially seemed unhurt. She was seen laughing after she got up from the fall and refused to see a doctor.
But an hour later she started having headaches and was taken to hospital. By the time she received medical care, the bleed had cause significant brain damage. She died two days later.
Victims of falls are urged to seek medical attention immediately. If an epidural haematoma is identified in its early stages, the blood can be removed surgically to reduce the pressure on the brain.
Schumacher is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, having won the most championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions and races in a single season.
He won the championship seven times, and retired officially at the end of the 2012 season, having returned from a four-year break from the sport.
He turned down the chance to drive for Lotus in the final two races of this year.
Schumacher suffered fractures in his head and neck when he fell off his motorcycle in Spain in February 2009.
He had suffered pains in his neck ever since and is understood that his ski accident on Sunday has had an impact on his old injuries.
Schumacher and his family live in a lakeside mansion in Switzerland worth £50million.
The huge property borders Lake Geneva and is thought to contain its own underground petrol station.
He has an extensive classic car collection and a trophy room for the awards he has collected during his racing career.
He was once described as the first billionaire sportsmen, amassing a huge personal fortune during his career.
When he was enticed out of retirement in 2010 he reportedly signed a £30 million-a-year contract with the Mercedes team.
But the driver's lifestyle has remained relatively modest in comparison to some of his flashier colleagues.
Schumacher still drives a Fiat for personal and family use – perhaps explained by his modest upbringing.
His father was a bricklayer, but he took on a second job repairing go-karts to support the young Michael's hobby as his talent became obvious, while his mother worked at racing track canteen.
Michael Schumacher's damaged Ferrari is lifted onto a flat bed truck, after he crashed into a tyre wall on the first lap at Stowe corner, during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1999
Schumacher is carried on a stretcher by paramedics and track marshals, after he crashed his Ferrari during the first lap of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1999
WHEN A BUMP ON THE HEAD CAN KILL - BY DAVID HURST
The frightening truth is that even a minor blow to the head can have catastrophic effects – and ski slopes can be dangerous places.
Kate Fothringham, 44, is proof of that. The mother of two boys, aged eight and 12, had what she assumed was a minor bump to the head during a family skiing trip but, four years on, she is still suffering the after-effects.
And she says news of Michael Schumacher’s injury ‘resonated with me totally’.
Kate from Perth, Scotland, was having a beginners’ snowboarding lesson on the nursery slopes in France in April 2010 when two men skied into her and her instructor, knocking her over.
She was unconscious for less than a minute and was instantly back on her feet, but the damage had been done.
Kate had a scan as a precaution, but the microscopic changes were too subtle to show up and she thought she had escaped with a ‘thunderous headache’.
But once she was back home, Kate found herself groping for words, lacking concentration and struggling to make decisions.
She felt constantly exhausted, had a chronic headache and developed a stutter when stressed.
She couldn’t watch television because light and noise were painful, and she regularly felt anxious and tearful. Her husband Thomas, a 42-year-old financial director, was understandably worried. ‘I felt overwhelmed by the tiniest things – it was like I was holding on to life by my fingertips,’ she said.
No time to lose: A diagram explaining the dangers of a subdural hematoma, a potentially fatal brain injury which Michael Schumacher is believed to have suffered after his fall
It wasn’t until seven months after the accident that a neurologist ran cognitive tests that uncovered she had damage to the front of her brain, which controls decision-making and planning.
Years on, she still has memory problems and difficulty concentrating or making decisions. ‘There are certain things that are subtly different from before my accident. I still have head pain sometimes.’ Kate said.
‘I get tired more easily, particularly in social situations where lots of people are talking at once. I can enjoy going to parties again now, but know that I’ll be wiped out the next day.
‘My memory is still shaky – I can run the household but need to make lots of lists, and my husband Thomas is always saying I’ve forgotten things he’s told me.’
Each year around one million Britons end up in hospital after a bang to the head. According to the Mail’s resident GP Dr Martin Scurr, even everyday knocks can have serious consequences.
He said: ‘I’ve known of two people who died after falling off a chair while changing a lightbulb – it doesn’t have to be a very major injury. It’s how you fall and what hits the floor.’
He often hears from parents of children who have fallen in the playground. ‘As a GP you are always worried you’re maybe not taking it seriously enough. Often a mother will ring me, and say the child has fallen off a swing, and they wonder whether he should go to hospital.
‘I’ll ask whether he feels sick or seems his normal self, and most importantly, whether he’s been knocked out. If someone is not with it for even 30 seconds I’d say you should go to A&E for a CT scan.’
He added: ‘Even if you are wearing a helmet – like Schumacher was – it doesn’t mean you’re completely protected.
‘It might stop you fracturing your skull, but it doesn’t necessarily stop some vital blood vessel in the brain tearing.
‘The brain is like a blancmange in a biscuit tin. If you shake it about it will split and tear. So if you bang your head, even in a helmet, the brain can still shunt up to one side of the skull and bounce back and that may tear a blood vessel.’
How soon you see the effects of a brain injury can vary. Colin Shieff, consultant neurosurgeon at London’s Royal Free Hospital, said: ‘Bruises on the brain, called cerebral contusions, can develop into blood clots and cause a range of problems including a stroke.
‘As the brain swells, electrical signals between the thinking bits of the brain become affected. Later swelling can then affect conscious level and lead to coma.’ And in some cases, even death.
Anyone who feels unwell after banging their head should see a doctor or go to hospital to be checked, Mr Shieff said, adding: ‘It’s not remarkable to have some headache the next day or a few days afterwards.
‘But if functioning is abnormal – speech problems, vision, or just finding everything more difficult – this can be a problem.
‘With head bumps, you can’t always predict outcome. But generally, if someone is feeling fine 24 hours following a bump to the head, there’s likely to be no long-term problems.’
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Comments (430)
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.
I pray that he will come through.He's easily the best driver since Senna,and could use his fame to make a BIG difference in the world.
I am a massive F1 fan and a keen skier. Michael S my thoughts and prays go out to you and your family. I know from the last 48 hours the world is praying for this amazing human being !!!!! The world is behind you. Tj
Schumacher is the slave of speed and jet-set life style which can sometimes turn against you fatally.
Never understood why someone would want to travel at high speeds on the snow on two sticks attached to their feet with no means of stopping.
Sending best wishes his way. Head injuries are so scary and unpredictable. I once fell off a hammock and landed on my head on concrete, and didn't even bother seeking any medical opinions because I just had a bit of a headache and some bruises. Luckily I was fine, but this just goes to show that even the smallest head injury can be life threatening.
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Monsta Ronis, London, United Kingdom, 7 hours ago
Who are these sick weirdos giving thumbs down to kind hearted comments wishing critically ill shuey well, go crawl back under the rock you came from!