Michael Schumacher’s heartbreaking chat to spouse that might have prevented tragic ski crash
Michael Schumacher’s wife Corinna shared the conversation she had with the F1 legend before his life-changing skiing accident that could have prevented his devastating fall
Michael Schumacher’s wife revealed that he nearly decided against going skiing on the fateful day of his devastating accident in December 2013. The Formula 1 icon struck his head on a rock at the French resort of Meribel, leaving him in a coma until June 2014.
Schumacher, who celebrates his 57th birthday today (December 3), hasn’t been spotted publicly since the tragic incident over a decade ago. His wife, Corinna, has fiercely guarded her husband’s privacy by maintaining a tight-knit circle and restricting health updates.
Those known to have visited Schumacher, beyond his wife and two children, Mick and Gina-Maria, include his devoted manager Sabine Kehm and close F1 friends Ross Brawn, Jean Todt, Gerhard Berger, Luca Badoer and Felipe Massa. Whilst Corinna refuses to discuss Schumacher’s condition, she did share what he had mentioned to her on that fateful day.
In the 2021 Netflix documentary ‘Schumacher’ about her husband’s legendary career, Corinna revealed: “Shortly before it happened in Meribel, he said to me: ‘The snow isn’t optimal. We could fly to Dubai and go skydiving there.’
“I have never blamed God for what happened. It was just really bad luck, all the bad luck anyone can have in life. It’s always terrible when you say, ‘Why is this happening to Michael or us?’ But then why does it happen to other people?”
“Of course, I miss Michael every day. But it’s not just me who misses him. The children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael.”
Their son Mick reflected his mother’s feelings during the documentary. The 26-year-old feels heartbroken that he’s been unable to share discussions about his own racing journey with his father, who ignited his love for motorsport.
Speaking in the ‘Schumacher’ documentary, Mick revealed: “Since the accident, of course, these experiences, these moments that I believe many people have with their parents, are no longer present, or to a lesser extent.
“And in my view, that is a little unfair. I think dad and me, we would understand each other in a different way now. Simply because we speak a similar language, the language of motorsport. And that we would have much more to talk about. That’s where my head is most of the time. Thinking that would be so cool. That would be it. I would give up everything just for that.”
His father claimed seven F1 world championships from 1994 to 2004, covering his time with Benetton and Ferrari. Following retirement, Schumacher made a comeback for a three-year spell with Mercedes, continuing until 2012.
Meanwhile, his son Mick made his F1 debut with Haas in 2021 before moving into endurance racing.
Reports suggested that Schumacher had been present at his daughter Gina-Maria’s wedding as she married Iain Bethke in September 2024. The ceremony took place at the family’s luxury villa in Majorca, and it was alleged that attendees were required to hand over their phones to prevent any leaks regarding the F1 icon’s condition.
Although he hasn’t made a public appearance since his accident, Elisabetta Gregoraci, the former wife of ex-Benetton boss Flavio Briatore, shed some light on the situation during an interview with Spanish media in 2020.
She revealed: “Michael doesn’t speak, he communicates with his eyes. Only three people can visit him, and I know who they are. They moved to Spain and his wife has set up a hospital in that house.”
