Gina Maria Schumacher is the only daughter of former F1 record-breaker Michael Schumacher. The F1 champion has not been seen in public for five years but his family continue to honour his legacy. So what did Gina say about her father in a recent post on social media?
The 21-year-old posted a touching message to her father on Instagram, as he is still recovering from a near-fatal brain injury from a skiing accident more than five years ago.
Her message said: “Happy birthday to the best dad.”
The touching post comes as the family celebrated Michael’s 50th birthday this week, just days after the fifth anniversary of the tragic crash.
She also shared three pictures of the star – a seven-time F1 champion – from his racing days.
Michael’s family also issued a rare statement to commemorate his birthday on Wednesday, which said: “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.
“You can be sure that he is in the very best of 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 new year 2019.”
What happened to Michael Schumacher?
On December 29, 2013, Schumacher suffered a severe head injury after he hit his head on a rock.
The accident took place while he was skiing with his son at the Meribel resort in the French Alps.
He was put into a medically induced coma and underwent two life-saving operations at Grenoble Hospital.
He was then taken out from the coma in April 2014, before being moved to a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Schumacher was then brought home a few months later in September 2014.
There were no updates about his health until April 2015, when it was revealed Mr Schumacher was showing “moments of consciousness and awakening”.
Three months later, a statement was then released saying he was no longer in a coma.
His wife Corinna has rarely spoken to the media about her husband’s condition, insisting on total privacy during Schumi’s recovery.
Last year, she said: “The decision to protect his privacy from the public has been taken in Michael’s interest.
“We have made it very clear that something serious has happened.”
Last week the Prefect of the Pontifical House of the Holy See and personal secretary of Benedict XVI, Georg Gänswein, gave a rare update about Mr Schumacher’s health.
The archbishop, who was also once a ski instructor, told German magazine Bunte he paid “Schumi” a visit.
He said: “I sat in front of him, I touched him with both hands, and I looked at him. His face, as we all know, is the typical face of Michael Schumacher; only that it has become a little more puffy.
“He feels that around him there are people who love him, who care about him and, thank God, keep the curious public away. A sick person needs discretion and understanding.”