How Are You Michael Schumacher?

Looking down on the Ski Resort of Meribel in the French Alps when I had taken to walking the mountains rather than skiing the slopes.

How are you Michael?

Of course we all know that he is not well. Michael Schumacher has been in a medically induced coma for over a month in a French hospital after a skiing accident that caused severe trauma to the left side of Michael’s head. Reoprts over the last 48 hours say that they are reducing the sedatives in an attempt to bring him out of the coma. My heart goes out to him and his family, in fact any family that has suffered a similar head injury.

Michael has not always had the best press over the years, sometimes coming across as self opiniated, over ambitious, demanding and simply ruthless. No of us are perfect?

Ayrton Senna and Brazil

These traits I also recognise in the late Ayrton Senna, another F1 multiple World Champion, yet his place in the hearts of motor racing fans around the globe is the polar opposite to Michael’s. Senna is seen as the young lion of Brazil, carrying all his raw talent alongside the struggle of his nation and delivering victory at all costs. Senna is synonymous with the Brazilian flag, ask any fan.

Michael is not dissimilar, in fact I think he took a lot from Senna who was perhaps the first truly professional racing driver. Senna’s win at all costs strategy seems to easily go unnoticed behind his smile and youthful good looks. Michael never quite had that charm, did he. But as a fan of motor racing you have to judge Michael Schumacher on what he achieved, and that leaves all other F1 drivers in his wake. I respect that, and I respect the man.

My Brother David

My love of motor racing is well known, my father is to blame, it was his passion and it corsed down to me. He was the head of our family, which he left nearly 4 years ago, that includes two older sister and two younger brothers for me. David is a couple of years or so younger than me so he was the brother I took out to play football with when we were kids. At 8 years of age, when walking to school one November morning in 1968 he was involved in a road accident. David suffered severe trauma to the left side of his head. I don’t know whether David was in a coma, he was certainly in a bath of ice for a period, and he underwent two operations to relieve the pressure and swelling on the brain. His heart stopped twice on the operting table, the police arrived at our house at 4.00am in the morning to escort my parents to the hospital. The hours after are some of the most traumatic in my life, but it was David who was fighting for his life.

And he faught. What he did fills me with admiration him as he has carried the scars, physically and psychologically, without malice, throughout his life. Today David is a partner in our family business and his spirit helps drive me every day.

Meribel, France

I have only been skiing once, our friends Graham and Sharon took us a couple of years ago. I was hopeless and Sharon recognised this. When the instructor tried to encourage me to join the rest of my family on a recognised slope I looked down and was terrified. I started off but was obviously out of control. We were in Meribel in France.

I walked in the Alps after that day whilst the others skied. I witnessed several accidents but always they all brushed themselves down and got up. Michael wasn’t so lucky.

I listen to the news most days and want to hear that Michael Schumacher is out of his coma and starting the long road to recovery.

But I do fear for him…. come on Michael!

#keepfightingmichael