Encouraging news for fans of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher: the German is no longer in a coma and has left the Grenoble hospital, where he has spent almost six months following his skiing accident at the end of December 2013.
Schumacher’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm confirmed he is conscious and said he has been transported from Grenoble to the university hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he will continue his recovery.
“He is not in a coma anymore. Michael has left the CHU Grenoble hospital to continue his long phase of rehabiliation,” Kehm said in a statement on Monday. The spokeswoman also thanked the staff at the Grenoble hospital on behalf of Schumacher’s family and first responders at the scene of the accident.
“The family also wishes to thank all the people who have sent Michael all the many good wishes… We are sure it helped him,’’ Kehm said, adding that, “his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye.”
No other details were offered about Schumacher’s condition, but experts believe his recovery will be a long and difficult one, with the odds for a full recovery after such a long period of coma being very small. In April, Kehm said that the 45-year-old Formula One star had shown signs of waking up.
By Dan Mihalascu
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