One year after his serious traffic accident, the Italian pilot is continuing his rehabilitation program.
Known for his fighting spirit on the track and in life, Alex Zanardi continues his efforts to recover his physical faculties and his ability to express himself. In an interview published this Thursday on the BMW media site – the Italian driver is ambassador of the brand – his wife, Daniela Zanardi, gives news on the health of the champion:
“A year after the accident, Alex’s condition is stable. He is currently in a specialized clinic, where he is following a rehabilitation program ”.
On June 19, 2020, the fate of racing driver turned Paralympic champion tipped over again due to a serious accident in Tuscany (Italy). During sports training on an open road, his tricycle crossed the path of a truck. Suffering from serious head and facial trauma, Alex Zanardi was then transported by helicopter to the intensive care unit of the hospital in Siena before continuing his rehabilitation a few months later in Padua. Daniela Zanardi also reflected on the progress the champion has made over the past year:
“It was a very complex process, which required more neurosurgical interventions and was characterized by flashbacks. Alex is in stable condition, which means he is able to follow programs for both his brain and his body. He can communicate with us, but he still cannot speak. After a long period of coma, the vocal cords must regain their elasticity. This can only be acquired with practice and care. He still has a lot of strength in his arms and hands and actively train on the material placed at its disposal ”.
Originally from around Bologna (Italy), Alessandro “Alex” Zanardi competed in 41 Formula 1 Grand Prix in the 1990s. But it is above all across the Atlantic that his talent was exposed: crowned two-time champion in CART (1997 and 1998) at the wheel of the scarlet Reynard of the Chip Ganassi Racing team. Master of overtaking and tangled lifts, the man marked his successes with popular donuts.
The Italian lost both his legs in a terrible accident during an oval race at the Lausitzring (Germany) in September 2001. Returned to motorsport thanks to a BMW adapted to his handicap, he won in particular championship victories of the Passenger Car World (WTCC). Converted to disabled sports on a high-tech tricycle, Alex Zanardi won four gold medals at the Paralympic Games in London (2012) and Rio (2016).
Photo : BMW
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