Years pass, but information remains scarce. Michael Schumacher, 56, was near death in 2013 after a serious skiing accident in Meribel, France, and has not been seen in public since. He is assisted and protected by his wife, Corinna, who takes great care of his privacy.
The last person to speak about the health of the seven-time Formula 1 world champion was "L'Équipe" journalist Stefan L'Hermitte:
"This year he signed a helmet, it was for a charity event," he told RTL. "Did his wife hold his hand? We don't know for sure, but it's the first time we've received a positive signal, almost a sign of life."
The Daily Mail reported that the German legend had signed a helmet to raise funds for Sir Jackie Stewart's charity Race Against Dementia. Journalist Jonathan McEvoy revealed that his wife Corinna had held his hand to help him add his initials "MS" alongside those of all other living world champions:
"I wouldn't say he's getting better, but maybe the situation is a little better," Stefan L'Hermitte continued. "The only real information comes from his family, and that's very important, because updates coming from outside are probably not worth much."
"He can no longer communicate with words"
No one has a clear picture of Schumacher's true state of health. Last March, German television journalist RTL, Felix Görner, revealed that the German "can no longer communicate with words. The situation is very sad - he said - He needs constant care and is completely dependent on his assistants. He is no longer able to express himself with words. Currently, there are a maximum of 20 people who can approach Michael."
