Revealed
IN SICKNESS & HEALTH
How Michael Schumacher’s ‘guardian angel’ wife Corinna keeps his health secret & cares for him after ski crash
MICHAEL Schumacher once described his wife as a "guardian angel" - and she has been watching over him ever since his horrific ski crash.
Corinna has been looking after her husband and working to help keep his recovery private for nearly eight years since the accident on the slopes.
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Close friends claim they've been banned from seeing the stricken F1 legend as a slick PR operation and team of lawyers ensured almost nothing about his condition has been shared with his fans.
Corinna is said to have had a tight grip on her husband's affairs since the crash while he was skiing with his son Mick in the Alps in December 2013.
She reportedly slimmed down his £500m business empire and sold prized assets such as his private jet and house in Norway as the family retreated to their secluded home on the shore of Lake Geneva.
Corinna is also said to demand total control of any publicity surrounding her husband's health.
She has offered only scant updates - even being careful not to say too much in an emotional interview for a new Netflix documentary out this month.
Supporters say it is the act of a devoted wife who is simply following Michael's own wishes for privacy - with the seven-time world champion always being careful to keep quiet about his personal life.
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But it has left his millions of adoring fans desperate to know the truth as rumours swirl about the allegedly bed-bound icon.
Schumacher spoke of his love for his wife just days before his crash, telling German TV: "During all the time I was racing she was my guardian angel."
And she has continued to watch over him ever since, reportedly being by his side from the moment he was rushed to hospital in Grenoble.
Corinna offered a few clues as she spoke in the Netflix documentary - which is due for release on Wednesday - but continued to remain tight lipped about her beloved husband.
"I miss Michael every day. But it's not just me who misses him," she said.
"It's the children, the family, his father, everyone around him.
"I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he's here and that gives us strength, I find."
Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael
Corinna Schumacher
She also offered a rare glimpse into their family life, which is dominated by Michael's treatment.
She says: "We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make him comfortable.
"And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will."
And she adds: "We try to carry on a family as Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.
“'Private is private', as he always said. It is very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible.
"Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael."
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Corinna is said to have converted part of their £50million lakeside mansion in Gland into a state-of-the-art hospital, with a team of 15 medics providing 24-hour care at a cost of £115,000 a week.
Meanwhile the thick surrounding forest and security fences kept him away from any possible intrusion.
By late 2018 he was reportedly well enough to be flown by helicopter to in Majorca.
Corinna had it kitted out as a mini hospital after buying it for £27m from the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, reports say.
And the family even waged a legal battle in 2016 after German magazine Bunte reported the racing legend "could walk".
The court case actually led to a few small pieces of information being revealed, with Schumacher's lawyers confirming he still couldn't walk two years on from the crash.
RUMOUR & SPECULATION
Nick Fry, Schumacher's team boss when he drove for Mercedes, wrote in a book: "Corinna and the family have kept a very tight control on information about his treatment which, I think, is a pity.
"There are millions of people out there who have a genuine affection for Michael, and that's not just his fans in Germany or fans of Mercedes Benz.
"Because of what he achieved, people would like to know about his condition; they are inquisitive and they genuinely feel for him.
"I do think that reporting on how he is, regardless of whether it is good or bad news - and possibly it is bad news - is important because people can empathise with him."
And in a rare interview with Germany's She magazine in 2019, Corinna revealed it is her notoriously private husband who has dictated the news blackout.
She said: “He is in the best of hands right now and we are doing everything we can to help him.
“Try to understand that we follow Michael’s desire to keep his health a secret.”
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Schumacher's former manager of 20 years Willi Weber has even accused Corinna of hiding the "truth".
He said: “I know that Michael has been hit hard, but unfortunately I do not know what progress he makes.
“I’d like to know how he’s doing and shake hands or stroke his face. But unfortunately, this is rejected by Corinna. She’s probably afraid that I’ll see right away what’s going on and make the truth public.”
Another close pal also criticised the secrecy as "a pity" for his army of supporters.
The lack of official updates has left room for speculation and conflicting reports from "insiders" about his slow progress.
Some have claimed he was in a vegetative state while others claimed he was awake and able to talk.
The icon - who won a record 91 grand prix races - was just 44 when he hit his head on rocks while skiing off-piste with his son Mick, then 14, near Meribel, in December 2013.
He spent three months in an induced coma at Grenoble hospital before months of further treatment at another hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Manager Sabine Kehm offered a hopeful update, telling German broadcaster ARD: "There are short moments of consciousness and he is showing small signs of progress.
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"There are moments when he is awake and moments when he is conscious.
"Of course I am not a doctor, but medically, there is a distinction between being awake and being conscious, the latter meaning there is an ability to interact with his surroundings."
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Michael Schumacher's wife reveals F1 legend 'shows me how strong he is every day' in touching first look at Netflix doc
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