Michael Schumacher fights for his life after ski fall

Originally published on December 30, 2013 Sign up for a free trial of News Direct's animated news graphics at http://newsdirect.nma.com.tw/Reuters.... Retired seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is in a coma at a hospital in Grenoble, France, after suffering a traumatic head injury while skiing with his son in the Alps on Sunday. According to Reuters, Schumacher hit his head on a rock after a fall, and while he was wearing a helmet, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and his condition worsened after care at a local clinic. The 44-year-old German was airlifted to a major medical center and is now under the care of brain and spinal injury expert Professor Gerard Saillant, who also serves as the president of the International Automobile Federation Institute or FIA. Reports say Schumacher was skiing "off-piste," meaning he was not following official trails, at the Meribel Ski Resort when the accident occurred. He was attended to by local first responders immediately following the accident and initially the retired driver seemed to have no major injuries, but after Schumacher began complaining of discomfort, he fell unconscious and local medical personnel evacuated him to a hospital for emergency neurosurgical treatment. Mr Schumacher's accident was eerily reminiscent of the 2009 accident that claimed the life of acclaimed actress Natasha Richardson, who hit her head during a ski lesson in Canada. Richardson was conscious after the fall, but began to develop headaches that were later found to have been caused by a brain hemorrhage. She died after two days in hospital. Doctors treating Michael Schumacher are being tight-lipped about his condition but one source said the fact that he was treated early may have improved his chances of recovery.