Wishes pour in for Michael Schumacher's 50th birthday, family releases rare statement
Formula One legend Michael Schumacher turned 50 on January 4, and bittersweet wishes poured from around the world for the sport's most successful driver.
A day earlier, Schumacher's family released a rare statement ahead of his birthday, five years after the F1 champion met with an accident that left him with serious injuries.
“We are very happy to celebrate Michael’s 50th birthday tomorrow together with you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts that we can do this together,” wrote family members on his official Facebook page.
The former German seven-time F-1 champion suffered from serious head injuries after a horrific skiing accident on December 29, 2013 on the slope at Meribel ski resort in the French Alps. He was put into a medically induced coma to reduce brain swelling and since then his family has decided to keep his condition private.
Addressing Schumacher’s current condition, his family reassured his fans that “he is in the very best hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him.”
“Please understand if we are following Michael’s wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy. At the same time, we say thank you very much for your friendship and wish you a healthy and happy year 2019.”
The family also launched 'The Official Michael Schumacher App' on Thursday to celebrate the success of the most successful Formula-1 driver in history. The application will be a "digital Grand Prix of memories" and a virtual museum for fans. All the proceedings of the app will go to the 'Keep Fighting Foundation'.
“The app is another milestone to do justice to him and you, his fans, by celebrating his accomplishments. We wish you a lot of fun with it. Michael can be proud of what he has achieved, and so are we!"
"That’s why we remember his successes with the Michael Schumacher Private Collection exhibition in Cologne, by publishing memories in social media and by continuing his charitable work through the Keep Fighting Foundation. We want to remember his victories, his records, and his jubilation," the statement concluded.
