Daniela Zanardi – wife of Alessandro – has provided an update on the Italian racer’s progress, a year on, since the road incident.
A new update on Zanardi has come by virtue of his wife, Daniela, who shares about the present condition and life of the Italian racer, following the road incident. The last news on the former F1 and CART racer was back in January, when he was shifted to near his home.
At that time, doctors stated that Zanardi is responding to the surgery. One year on, Daniela notes the same about the Italian, who is undergoing rehabilitation programme at a special clinic, which includes hosts physiotherapists, neuropsychologists and speech therapists.
Daniela revealed that Zanardi is unable to speak after being in coma for so long, but he has strength in his arms and knows what is happening around him. There is, however, no fixed timeline for full recovery and return to home, as they continue to make it a reality.
Here’s a set of Q&A from BMW Motorsport:
Daniela, how is Alex these days?
Daniela Zanardi: “One year after the accident, Alex’s condition is essentially stable. He is currently in a special clinic, where he is undergoing a rehabilitation programme. This includes multimodal and pharmacological stimulations under the guidance of doctors, physiotherapists, neuropsychologists and speech therapists to try to facilitate his recovery.”
A long time has passed since the last update on Alex’s health. Is there a specific reason for this release?
Zanardi: “We have received so many best wishes for his recovery, and I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you, on behalf of Alex, for every single message. Following consultations with the doctors, now appears to be an appropriate time to offer this small insight into Alex’s recovery process with this interview.
“I would like to tell all those people who are thinking of and praying for Alex that he is fighting – as he always has done. The affection we have received from friends, fans, acquaintances, athletes and those involved in motorsport over the past year has been nothing short of touching and overwhelming and has been of enormous support for us in dealing with all this. However, a very special thank you goes to the medical personnel.”
How can you describe Alex’s development since the accident?
Zanardi: “It has been a very complex process that has required more neurosurgery and been characterised by a number of setbacks. Alex is in a stable condition, which means he is able to undergo training programmes for both his brain and his body. He can communicate with us, but he is still unable to speak.
“After a long time in a coma, the vocal cords must regain their elasticity. This is only possible through practice and therapy. He still has a lot of strength in his arms and hands, and is training intensively on the equipment.”
What are your expectations for the future?
Zanardi: “It is certainly another huge challenge. It is a very long journey and at the moment no predictions are made on when he will be able to return home. We put all our energy in Alex’s recovery. Therefore we decided to use this interview as a unique opportunity to inform the public on his recovery status and answer some frequently asked questions. We appreciate everyone’s understanding that we will leave it at that for the moment.”
Here’s the last update on Alessandro Zanardi
