Fell and hit his head on a rock while skiing in the Alps. Despite having a helmet, suffered a pretty serious injury that required immediate brain surgery. CNN reports “critical condition”, but the story on the internet says, “non-life threatening”.
Makes me sad, both as a huge fan and an avid skier. 
On the bright side, he will no doubt get the best treatment available in the world.
Best of luck!
I saw that on CNN. I am very curious about the fact that he was injured that bad while wearing a helmet. If it was some very freak angle of impact, or flawed equipment, or just a horrific crash that destroyed the helmet and still had another impact or two.
Ski helmets are somewhat of a joke in my opinion. They leave plenty of area for some horrendous injury, including the face.
Yeah, it’s not looking too good at this point. I used to watch a bit of F1 back when he was winning everything. Let’s hope he can pull through.
This is a man with a wife and two teenage children.
I’m in Austria as I type. Out on the slopes today I’d say that 90% of the people here wear helmets (compulsory for the under 15’s).
I don’t understand your point. You think that unless they are full face they are useless?
The word is that Schumi would’ve been dead already had he not worn one, a helmet would also have allow Natasha Richardson to survive and I confess I find them a great safety addition and offer better elemental protection that other soft hats (they keep you warm but still allow for airflow). Plus the kids can attach fluffy ears to theirs for a laugh, what’s not to love?
I was sceptical prior to trying one but if you ski you should seriously consider wearing a helmet, there is very little downside and much to gain. I’ll take 75% skull protection over none.
As for Michael, here’s hoping he’s going to be OK, I never really warmed to him on the track but that’s personal preference and he most certainly is an F1 superstar up there with the best.
Maybe all sports are dangerous, but the number of people killed in “freak” skiing accidents seems high. Sonny Bono, someone right after him who also skied into a tree, Natasha Richardson… it seems like almost every season has one of these supposedly “freak” accidents, often fatal.
Point? I dunno, except that always calling them freak accidents is probably misleading. If you slide down a hill real, real fast, nothing that happens can be “freak.”
It was Michael Kennedy. He was playing football while skiing downhill. Which frankly has always stuck me as just about the best way to win a Darwin Award that could possibly ever exist.
Still, I agree with you that downhill skiing must be the most dangerous sport that isn’t considered an “extreme” sport (like BASE jumping and crap like that).
Thanks, just couldn’t summon up the name.
Perhaps it’s that there are few other sports where it’s so easy to get way past your ability or fitness for the conditions… easy to take a slope a little too fast for you, easy to make a run when you’re a little more tired or otherwise impaired than you should be, and find yourself in an utterly unforgiving situation. Most sports that have so much deadly potential have higher thresholds to danger and are not so… glamorous and appealing that even otherwise sensible people go past their limits.
Hope he gets through this. Not just living, but full function. He wasn’t just good, he was dominant and fun to watch while doing it.
They are “freak” accidents because the number of people who participate is large and the number killed is small, and when you throw-in sensational media coverage of celebrities who die skiing the number is even smaller, altho more people know about it.
Natasha Richardson, IIRC, was not wearing a helmet, and was at a beginner ski lesson when she fell and not going real fast. Let’s hope Mr. Schumacher comes out of this OK.
This was the lead story on my hillbilly, backwoods news station last night (WRAL)… quite surprising. They’ve never had a story on F1; neither feature or sports-oriented.
I’m sad for Michael and his family and wish them the best. It took me a while to warm-up to him as a fan, but I’ve always respected his driving skills. I remember him winning for Benetton in Spain years ago; with his transmission stuck in 5th gear for the last ~1/4 of the race… what a guy. In some of the news I’ve read today, his colleagues are saying that if anyone can fight this it’s Michael. The strength and determination that he’s shown in his career should help him in this desperate time. You’re in my thoughts, MS.
I’ve been skiing since I was 12 years old and have never even considered a helmet, because I don’t put myself into situations where I’m going to have a spectacular high-speed wipe out.
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, but really if you ski in control and stay within your personal limits skiing is perfectly safe. There have been rumours about making helmets mandatory for kids here. I think it’s only a question of time, and then mandatory helmets for adults will soon follow; it’s the way we learn and progress as a species I guess, like mandatory seat belts, mandatory helmets for motorcyclists, mandatory airbags, etc.
I don’t like it, but I wouldn’t be frothing at the mouth if it became mandatory.
Schumacher was apparently skiing in what was essentially an “out of bounds” area: ungroomed and untested.
I agree with you, mostly. My point is that the majority of “ski helmets” I see in use are little better than bike helmets. No facial coverage, little above the top/middle ear around the back.
I do know something about helmets. I ride motorcycles (and have for nearly as long as I’ve skied, 40-plus years) and will only wear Arai or Simpson full-face helmets while riding. I don’t know what Schumy was wearing, but I’ll bet it wasn’t one of his F1 Schuberth helmets (not saying he should have been, either). If he was, he’d probably be giving a press conference right now. EDIT- Whatever he had, I’m sure it was the best that he wanted.
My point was the ski helmets in use I see are pretty shitty, but much better than nothing. No argument. No helmet, no matter how good, can protect against all impacts.
So I would say we agree. And I really hope to avoid thread-jacking this into a helmet discussion.
Back to Michael, I find the lack of encouraging optimism about his recovery disturbing. The reports are kept pretty close to the chest so far. CNN just reports he is “fighting for his life”. 
I have a nephew who had a pretty terrible head injury a couple years ago in a car accident. So bad he wasn’t expected to ever wake up. Well, he did, and he’s walking and talking again, and even went back to college for a semester and maintained a B average. So yeah, you can come back from some pretty terrible injuries.
He is, however, somewhat different in personality. He no longer laughs as easily and is far more moody. Worst of all, though, he is definitely impaired in “executive function” which can be quite disabling and also very hard to treat. He’s not entirely able to handle his own affairs anymore. Making sure he gets the support and care he needs through his adult life - which is expect to be of normal length - is a family nightmare.
I’m saying all this because I’m hoping Mr. Schumacher makes a full recovery, and baring that, his family is able and willing to care for him for the rest of his life. Cognitive impairment is difficult for multiple reasons and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m hoping this isn’t a case where the helmet was able to preserve life but not function.
Yes, I think we broadly agree too.
No it doesn’t sound good. they talk of an induced coma and the fact that it was a delayed reaction, it certainly seems far worse than initial reports indicated.
I think this is a poor argument for two reasons.
I am a good skier but catching an inside edge, hitting a death cookie, or simply a moment of inattention can cause a fall. Hitting your head on hardpack from standing height even when not moving fast can cause traumatic brain injury.
While I can control (for the most part) what I do, I can’t control other skiers. I’ve been wiped out by other skiers and have been thankful for my helmet.
It doesn’t sound like Schumacher was out of bounds at all. It was ungroomed but on-piste, not particularly difficult terrain. Just an unfortunate fall on a rock, something that could have happened in a number of places.
I initially heard he was out of bounds; I’m prepared to accept I’m mistaken.
I know you, and especially from your username, that you have more experience in this than I.
From my leisurely skiing perspective, I can’t imagine needing a helmet. It would be like requiring a helmet on a skating rink or a skateboard park: where do you draw the line?
As mentioned, I fully expect helmets to become mandatory at some point. I don’t like it, but I figure it’s inevitable.
Have you seen the way some people skate or skateboard? Forget the helmet, a full suit of armor might be a good idea!
I draw the line at skiing on slopes with 100’s of other teenagers, yahoos, and novices that can easily wipe me out without being able to do anything about it. I’m more afraid on a busy, icy blue cruiser than I am in the backcountry. I also wear a helmet because of objective dangers when I ski in trees, in cliffy terrain, where big drops are an issue, or we’re far from ski patrol.
I also wear a helmet because it’s the warmest hat I’ve ever found.