Michael Schumacher Walking Again? Management Criticizes Claims

According to The Independent, German magazine Bunte published a headline claiming that Schumacher could walk again and went on in the article to say that he was still weak. Schumacher’s walking was with the aid of his therapist, according to translations made. Despite the management team speaking out against this, Bunte continues to say that the claims are right and that the former Mercedes driver can take some steps.

There have been very few reports about the driver’s recovery. In fact, since last year when reports stated that he had woken from his coma following his skiing accident, there have been no other official progress reports. There have been comments about how his wife has had to sell some assets to pay for his medical care, but nothing about whether the sportsman is moving around again. The family has requested privacy, and mostly that is being honored by publications.

Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, has now felt the need to speak out against the recent reports. He said he was forced to report officially that claims that “Michael could move again [are] not true.” The previous reports are pure speculation, and given how serious his injuries were, they are very irresponsible. He says that fans are getting false hope, as well as family members who may not be up to date with the progress.

Back in October, there were questions over whether the driver would ever recover from his serious injuries. Ross Brown, former engineer and friend, has said that it is possible, and friends and family are praying that he will make a full recovery. They expect it to be slow, but are hopeful that something will happen.

Talk of Schumacher’s recovery dates back to December 29, 2013, when he suffered an accident while skiing with his wife and two children. He hit his head on some rocks and was placed in a medically-induced coma to recover from his injuries. Six months later, he was transferred from Grenoble to Lusanne. His family moved him back home in the September of 2014 to continue to receive treatment, according to The Daily Mirror. He is now awake from the coma, but is reportedly in a vegetative state and requires 24-hour care.

He had been wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. While at the hospital, he was operated on for a brain hemmorage. Many said that warmer temperatures and a lack of snow for the time of year were partially responsible for the accident occurring.

There are many people looking for information on the racing legend’s progress. The family will not release anything officially, unless they appear forced to do so. Some on social media question whether Bunte‘s decision to share false information was an attempt to get the management team or family talking. It has certainly forced them to make it clear that Schumacher is still bed-ridden. This news would not have been made available had the magazine not printed the speculative report.

According to recent reports, Mirabel ski resort has been entrapped in negative news once again. A 17-year-old British skier died in an accident on a blue run, which is classed as “moderate” in difficulty levels. The teenager was with his family and rescuers failed to revive him at the scene. There is now an inquiry into the accident to see how and why it happened. A local TV report said that he had suddenly fallen and banged his head. It is unclear whether it was around the same area as Schumacher’s accident, but it was at the same resort.

[Featured photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images]