Although his family imposed a media blackout about his latest status, a doctor's laptop that contained medical data about legendary Formula One driver Michael Schumacher was stolen in Germany, sparking fears from his family that sensitive information may be leaked about his true condition.
According to Shiva Mehrani of Master Herald, someone burgled the office of 60-year-old Dr. Johannes Peil in the city of Bad Nauheim in Germany. One of the stolen items included a laptop containing Schumacher's medical records.
"Initial investigation into the burglary places the robbery between Feb. 28 and March 2, and reports said that the thieves were able to enter the doctor's office through an open cellar door," Mehrani wrote. "The thieves took away the doctor's laptop, some amount of cash stashed somewhere, as well as prescription forms and perfumes."
Mehrani added that Peil is part of a team of doctors that is closely monitoring the condition of the race car driver while he recovers at home in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Allan Hall of the Daily Mail reported that 46-year-old Schumacher's medical records have previously been stolen before.
"Last year, a helicopter rescue worker who treated Schumacher hanged himself in a Zurich jail cell after being arrested for stealing details of his condition, which he tried to sell to news organizations," Hall wrote.
Despite the media blackout, insiders told the Daily Mail that Schumacher has remained mute and unable to move since a traumatic skiing accident in December 2013. However, his medical bills continue to skyrocket; Hall reported that his family sold off his mountain holiday home in Norway for £2 million (about $3 million).
"The sale of the retreat, in Trysil, north of Oslo, comes after it emerged last year that his family was planning to build a £10 million (about $15.1 million) 'hospital' room for the star at their home in Switzerland," Hall wrote.
Even with the currently grim medical prognosis on Schumacher's condition, his family still holds out hope for a miracle, according to Mehrani.
"The family does not care how much money they will spend on Michael for as long as it improves his condition," Mehrani wrote. "In fact, Schumacher's father has already moved to his house in Lake Geneva so that he could also look after him along with Michael's family."
Schumacher's family includes his wife, Corrina, 17-year-old daughter Gina Maria and 15-year-old son Mick. Mehrani noted that Corrina was "a picture of strength despite the slow recovery of Michael."
"An insider said that she has been talking to her husband for hours on end with the hope that he will finally talk back to her," Mehrani wrote. "Latest word indicated that Michael can already recognize the voices of his family members but he still can't talk, sit up, nor walk."
Mehrani added that Schumacher's family will take legal actions against anyone who leaks Schumacher's true medical conditions to the public based on information from the doctor's stolen laptop.
