Ferrari stalwart pays heartfelt tribute to 'my brother' Schumacher

Long-serving Ferrari management member Gino Rosato has paid a lengthy and emotional tribute to Michael Schumacher, 10 years on from his tragic skiing accident.

Seven-time world champion Schumacher suffered a life-altering skiing accident on a French Alps slope on December 29, 2013.

The incident resulted in severe head injuries and Schumacher was placed in a medically induced coma to aid his recovery. Since then, the details surrounding his health have been tightly guarded, with the Schumacher family maintaining a respected private and confidential approach.

Now, his old friend Gino Rosato has paid tribute, describing the joyous times he spent with the German F1 legend and the deep impact his accident had on him.

Rosato: I felt helpless

"Ten years ago, Michael Schumacher's life took a different turn," he wrote on Instagram. "From a joyful moment on a ski hill to a tragedy in seconds. I will never forget receiving that call. I, who had his back for years, felt completely helpless. I wanted to run there and be by his side, the loyalty between us evident through the days, months, and years spent together.

"No matter what, I would have been crazy enough to protect him at any cost. My brother, this time, God put something in my way, and smarter men than me could help out. I apologize. It's funny how, after this incident, so many would come forward, explaining how well they knew him, sharing amazing stories.

"The truth will die with me; your personal life meant the world to you, and that's how it should remain. My career would head into the unimaginable, but you always believed in me. I was more than the broken-down hockey player cleaning floors; thanks to guys like you, who put me on the map.

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"Today, all these moments feel like a dream. Things have moved forward in F1, the sport, the people, the world. Is it fair to say it was better in the past? Were we better than those who followed, like Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Mercedes, and Red Bull Racing? No, our world has changed as we knew it. If I could only pause life.

"The world is beautiful for those who live it now, as they live it. God bless them, respect to what they achieved today. It will change tomorrow; don't worry, it's #life. We are all blessed to have lived these moments of unparalleled success. I am ever grateful to Jean Todt, Scuderia Ferrari, and F1 for giving me these amazing times. Exactly nine years to this day, one year after Michael, I spent two-and-a-half months in a hospital bed fighting for my own life. Did all this mean something? Who knows?

"But I walked out of that hospital feeling blessed to sit at home, let alone to all I had lived in F1 straight down to a hospital bed. It all comes to an end. The gift of life is living it. You don't get a second chance. Michael Schumacher, you are an eternal brother!"

READ MORE: Former Schumacher team-mate reveals 'unfortunate' relationship situation

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