No update was given on Schumacher’s condition by the hospital or his
management on Thursday evening, which indicated that there had been no
change, although his family did make their first statement since the
accident in which they insisted the most successful driver in F1 history “will
not give up” his fight for life.
“Following Michael’s skiing accident, we would like to thank the people
from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their
best wishes for his recovery,” the Schumacher family statement read. “They
are giving us great support. We all know he is a fighter and will not give
up. Thank you.”
Schumacher’s family have remained at his bedside since the weekend. The
91-time grand prix winner, who suffered major brain trauma in the accident
which occurred when skiing off-piste in the resort of Meribel in France last
Sunday, remains in an artificially-induced coma.
It is believed that his life was saved by his skiing helmet, which split on
impact. Schumacher was initially conscious before deteriorating in to a
critical condition.
Rescuers were on hand within minutes of the accident and he was airlifted to
Grenoble hospital, where neurosurgeons have operated twice to remove blood
clots on the brain and reduce swelling.
Doctors have said the impact caused numerous brain injuries including
intracranial hematomas (multiple blood clots), bilateral lesions and
bruising of the brain.
An initial operation carried out on Sunday to reduce swelling was followed by
a second to remove the largest of a number of clots in his brain. Jacqueline
Hubert, the Grenoble hospital’s director general, said on Tuesday that his
condition had started to improve.
Edited by Oliver Pickup