Michael Schumacher mentioned as being ‘still in coma’ in the Supreme Court of India


Michael Schumacher mentioned as being ‘still in coma’ in the Supreme Court of India

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher, Formula 1’s record champion, has been out of the public eye ever since his horrific skiing incident in 2013. Even in 2023, there is no real clarity about his current condition, leading to intense fan and media speculation. The Schumacher family is very tight-lipped on his current state, and the public still does not know if the German will ever be able to speak or talk again.

ADVERTISEMENT

There are often debates and mentions about his condition on social media. Recently, his apparent condition was also mentioned in the Supreme Court of India, in a hearing on ‘living will’, which is an advance medical directive for a potential time when the person (giving the will) specifies what is to be done when they are no longer capable of making their own decisions. It’s about end-of-life treatment, and may even include if the person wants euthanasia in such a state.

As per The Indian Express, Schumacher was mentioned twice. The first was when advocate Arvind Datar used his example to point out that people can still recover when all hope had been lost. He said: “Like Michael Schumacher, he is still in coma, we don’t know what will happen, if some stem cell research will revive him. He is still alive.” Datar also stated that he knows a person who recovered after 21 years.

The second mention was by Justice Hrishikesh Roy, part of a five-person constitution bench hearing the case. Roy said: “What is critical illness for an ordinary person of normal wealth, is not critical for Michael Schumacher.” Eventually, the court refused to review an earlier decision recognizing the ‘right to die with dignity’, leaving that to legislature, but agreed to make the guidelines for a ”living will’ registration ‘more workable’.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read More: Legendary footballer Pele dies on the same day as Michael Schumacher’s horrific life-changing accident

Michael Schumacher’s current condition

Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher

Precise details of Michael Schumacher’s current condition are not known. The family obviously wants privacy, at what is clearly such a trying time. However, there have been some updates and improvements since the accident in 2013. The incident happened in December, and the German was put in a medically-induced coma for his treatment. By March 2014, he was gradually being withdrawn from it and said to have ‘conscious moments’. In September, he was back home in Switzerland.

In July 2019, his former boss (and good friend), Jean Todt said that Schumacher was ‘making progress’ and that they saw a race together: “I’m always careful with such statements, but it’s true. I saw the race together with Michael Schumacher at his home in Switzerland.” adding that the German does not ‘give up’, but also that their friendship ‘cannot be the same anymore’ simply because the communication isn’t the same.

In September, Le Parisien reported that Schumacher was in Paris for treatment, and had received an ‘anti-inflammatory stem cell perfusion’. The newspaper further cited a nurse as saying: “Yes he is in my service. And I can assure you that he is conscious.” but there was no official statement from his family or the hospital.

ADVERTISEMENT

One thing can be ascertained from all of these: He isn’t conscious enough to make a public statement or to handle his own affairs. Instead, it’s his wife, Corinna Schumacher, who’s overseen his care and kept his condition private. In a documentary released about him, she said that Michael is “here, different but here”. The whole world continues to hope that Schumacher will recover to a better level, and perhaps return to public life.

In case you missed it: