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Michael Schumacher leaves hospital in Lausanne nine months after accident Michael Schumacher leaves hospital nine months after accident
(about 3 hours later)
Michael Schumacher has left his hospital in Lausanne, nine months after suffering a life-threatening injury in a skiing accident. Michael Schumacher has left hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, nine months after suffering a life-threatening injury in a skiing accident.
Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, said in a statement that the former F1 world champion still faced “a long and difficult road ahead” and would continue his rehabilitation at home. Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, said in a statement that the former Formula One world champion would continue his rehabilitation at home but faced “a long and difficult road ahead”.
Schumacher had transferred to Lausanne in June from a hospital in Grenoble where he had been placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a severe head injury in the French resort of Méribel on 29 December. “Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months,” Kehm said. “We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne [university hospital of Lausanne] for their thorough and competent work.”
Doctors had kept the seven-times champion in a coma to help reduce swelling in his brain resulting in his head hitting a rock after he fell while skiing off piste. Schumacher’s move should not be interpreted as a sign of massive changes in his health status, the statement said without providing further details.
The German, who retired from racing in 2012 after a 19-year career, will now make the short 25-mile journey back to his house at Gland on the shores of Lake Geneva. On 29 December, the seven-times world champion hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in Méribel, France. Schumacher was placed in a medically induced coma at a French hospital in Grenoble to help reduce swelling of his brain.
Kehm said: “Michael’s rehabilitation will continue from now on from home. The German, who retired from racing in 2012 after a 19-year career, was transferred in June to a clinic in Lausanne, from where he made the short 25-mile journey on Tuesday back to his house at Gland on the Swiss shore of Lake Geneva.
“Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months. Schumacher’s wife Corinna wrote an open letter to his fans in the programme for the German Grand Prix in July, saying that “it is good to know that we have overcome the most difficult period together. Now we are at the beginning of a phase that will most likely take a long time”.
“There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead. Schumacher’s management have worked hard to shield the former racing driver from the media during his rehabilitation process. In her statement, Kehm said: “We ask the privacy of Michael’s family continue to be respected, and that speculation about his state of health is avoided.”
“We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne for their thorough and competent work. Shortly after his arrival in Grenoble, a journalist dressed as a priest had reportedly tried to gain access to Schumacher’s hospital room.
“We ask the privacy of Michael’s family continue to be respected, and that speculation about his state of health is avoided.” After his transfer to Lausanne, a doctor’s report on Schumacher’s state of health was offered for sale to German media. An executive at Swiss helicopter air rescue company Rega was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the theft and was later found hanged in his cell in Zurich.
Tuesday’s statement also dismissed Swiss media speculation that Schumacher’s wife had their expansive property in Gland adapted for his care.