One of Michael Schumacher’s recent acts is a ‘positive sign’ regarding his health, according to a French journalist.
However, the Formula One legend is apparently still unable to speak and there is no public indication of him being able to walk.
Schumacher, 56, almost died in a freak skiing accident in 2013 during a family holiday in Meribel, France, and has not been seen publicly since.
In that time, his son Mick has grown up to become a Formula One driver himself while his daughter, Gina, brought a baby girl into the world in April.
Health updates around the seven-time F1 world champion are rare, but L’Equipe journalist Stefan L’Hermitte has attempted to give some insight into the inner workings of Schumacher’s life.
‘I would not say he is doing well, but maybe that he is doing a bit better, because fundamentally we don’t know anything,’ he told RTL.
Michael Schumacher signing a helmet earlier this year was a ‘positive sign’ for his health, says a French journalist
He signed MS on a white helmet with Royal Stewart Tartan, as worn by Jackie Stewart in his career, with the help of his wife Corinne
‘The only real news comes from his family, and that’s always very important, because the news that comes from his family is the good news. The news that comes from outside is probably not worth much.
‘This year he signed a helmet. It was for a charity event. Did his wife hold his hand? We don’t know exactly, but it’s the first time that we have had a positive sign, almost a sign of life.
‘But the fact is, we still haven’t seen him walk, and apparently he still can’t speak. So we’re still dealing with someone who is still breathing, who might have some small interactions with his family, but we can’t say for sure that he’s doing well.’
Daily Mail Sport exclusively broke the story that Schumacher signed a crash helmet to raise money for Sir Jackie Stewart’s Race Against Dementia charity.
Our reporter Jonathan McEvoy revealed that Schumacher’s wife Corinne offered her guiding hand to help him add his initials ‘MS’ alongside every other living world champion.
The Formula One world was plunged into shock in 2013 when Schumacher had his almost-fatal accident.
Schumacher collided head-first with a rock and while his helmet absorbed much of the impact, the severity of the accident cracked the hard shell and fractured his skull, leading to a traumatic brain injury.
He was placed in a coma, underwent two brain surgeries, and was only deemed safe to move in June 2014.
The Formula One legend suffered a severe brain injury in a siiking accident in 2013
In March, Felix Gorner, a reporter for German broadcaster RTL, revealed that Schumacher ‘can no longer communicate verbally’.
‘The situation is very sad,’ said Gorner. ‘He needs constant care and is completely dependent on his caregivers. And he can no longer express himself verbally. Currently, there’s a maximum of 20 people who can approach Michael.’
Schumacher is one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time, having claimed the world title in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.
He also added 71 fastest laps and 155 podiums to his name during his iconic racing career.
