In December 2013, Michael Schumacher's life changed forever.
The F1 icon, who had managed to avoid serious injury during his racing career, tragically veered off course and struck his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps while on holiday with his family.
At first, the world feared the worst. Schumacher was placed in a medically induced coma, with the Ferrari icon fighting for his life.
Fortunately, Schumacher pulled through - showing the same fighting spirit in a hospital bed as he did during his glittering, historic time on the track.
Michael Schumacher: F1 icon's family have suffered torment after an attempted blackmail plot was foiled
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Yet little is known about the 56-year-old and his condition today. His family, including wife Corinna, have always vowed to protect him - just like he did with them during his racing days.
Such is the world that not everybody has respected those wishes.
Three men have been found guilty in a case of attempted blackmail against Schumacher's family, only adding to their difficulties.
The trio demanded a staggering £12.5million from the family and threatened to release hundreds of private photos and videos of them, too, as well as digitized copies of Schumacher's medical records.
Fortunately, their plan was foiled. The main defendant will spend the next three years in prison, while his son has been given a six-month suspended sentence in addition to a fine of £1,000.
The third man, who was a former security guard for the family, was given a two-year suspended sentence and fined around £2,000 for his part in the heineous plot.
It is hard enough for the family that Schumacher has never been the same since his tragic skiing accident.
And this scheme, though foiled, will leave them horrified.
Updates on Schumacher have been sparce over the past 11 years. That's the way the family like it and it's crucial that those wishes are respected.
Wife Corinna did say in 2021, however, that the F1 icon was 'different' from before. In a Netflix documentary, she said: "Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength, I find.
"He still shows me how strong he is every day.
"We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.
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Michael Schumacher: F1 icon is looked after by wife Corinna following his tragic skiing accident in 2013
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"And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will. We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.
"'Private is private', as he always said. It's very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael."
Schumacher and Corinna's son, Mick, has also admitted in the past that he 'misses' his father and the way he used to be.
Corinna, according to Eddie Jordan, has been left feeling 'like a prisoner' due to her desire to keep details on her husband's condition out of the spotlight.
Michael Schumacher has not been seen publicly since a skiing accident in December 2013GettyJordan previously said: "Corinna has not been able to go to a party, to lunch or this or that, she's like a prisoner because everyone would want to talk to her about Michael when she doesn't need reminding of it every minute."
And even when Gina-Marie Schumacher married earlier this year, the family faced reports suggesting the F1 icon had attended. It is currently unclear if this is the case.
This December will mark 12 years since the tragic skiing accident.
His family continue to be tormented, all these years on.
