By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the disturbing news of Michael Schumacher’s December accident. While snow skiing, off piste, on a backcountry trail, Schumacher fell and struck his head against a rock. While he was wearing a helmet at the time, the force of the blow was significant enough to cause a closed head injury that required immediate surgery to stem the internal bleeding. Schumacher was then placed in an induced coma, for recovery, but as of the middle of March, doctors have not been able to bring him back up from the coma. At the time of writing, medical experts were beginning to make noises that if Schumacher finally emerges from the coma—and that is a big if, at this point—he would likely be severely impaired.
Having just seen him only seven months ago at the Quail Motorsport Gathering—full of life and good humor—it’s hard not to shake one’s head at this cruel turn of events for the former World Champion. It seems especially ironic considering here is a man who survived racing at the pinnacle of the sport for over two decades, only to be felled by a winter activity enjoyed by everyone from toddlers to octogenarians. Thinking about the irony of Schumacher’s situation led me to think of the surprisingly large number of Grand Prix drivers who managed to survive their time in F1, only to perish in more “safe” activities.
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