190 Million Brazilians Thanked Hungary For Treating Massa

Monday morning in the courtyard of the Ministry of Defence Institute and Museum of Military History certificates of merit were awarded to the staff involved in the treatment of Felipe Massa, the Formula 1 pilot who had an accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The attendees of the event included Defence Minister Dr. Imre Szekeres, Minister of Health Dr. Tamás Székely, Lieutenant General (eng.) János Mikita, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the MoD, Mr László Palik, Chairman of the Board of Hungaroring Sports Ltd., Dr. Zsigmond Göndöcs, Director of the National Ambulance Service, and from the Brazilian side Mr Ricardo Leyser Goncalves, the State Secretary of the Sports Ministry.

"Brazilians are a mixed people: the descendants of the Portuguese, the African, and that of the native Indians comprise the nation, in the life of which the love of sports constitutes one of the most important bonds," said the state secretary of the sports ministry, also pointing out that in Brazil the most popular sport is football, of course, but car racing is a close runner-up, since so far the South American country has given the world three Formula 1 champions – Fittipaldi, Piquet, and Senna. "The greatest icon, Ayrton Senna is no longer with us, and this is one of the reasons why the Brazilian public was so shocked by the accident of Felipe Massa. The whole country was trembling for him," said Ricardo Leyser Goncalves, who also expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the Hungarian Grand Prix and the Hungarian state for the kindness and professional excellence Felipe Massa was treated with following the accident. "This made it possible for a bad story to have a happy ending," he said. "I embrace all the doctors who contributed to the recovery of Felipe Massa, in the name of not only the Brazilian state but also in the name of 190 million Brazilians. You have laid the foundations of friendship for years between the Hungarian and the Brazilian nation," Mr Goncalves closed his speech.

Following that Defence Minister Dr. Imre Szekeres presented the doctors and the nursing staff of the National Health Care Centre (ÁEK) with certificates of merit and commemorative art objects. Dr. Péter Bazsó, the Medical Director of the ÁEK, Colonel Dr. Lajos Zsíros, Head Physician, the Chief Surgeon of the Hungarian Defence Forces, Professor Andor Grósz, the Deputy Military General Director of the hospital, Dr. Róbert Veres, the Head Physician of ÁEK’s neurosurgery ward, and Dr. István Szilvásy, the General Director of the hospital were also awarded certificates of merit, as well as the other doctors and specalized nursing staff directly involved in the treatment of Massa, and also some people who participated in the organization of the Hungarian Grand Prix, for instance László Palik.

After the diplomas of merit were handed over, the letters of thanks of Formula 1 owner Bernie Ecclestone, and Felipe Massa were read out. In his letter Mr Ecclestone thanked for the help, support, and the very professional work he witnessed in Hungary after the accident. "If I have an accident, I want to be treated in the central hospital of the Hungarian Defence Forces," the founder of the ’hurtling circus’ finished his letter. In his thank you note Felipe Massa expressed his gratitude for the attentive and professional care he received in the ÁEK, also expressing his hope that next time he can meet those who have helped him this year under different circumstances. The commemorative cup, a gift by the Brazilian government, was handed over at the event by Minister Imre Szekeres to Dr. István Szilvásy, the General Director of the National Health Care Centre.

Felipe Massa suffered severe, critical head injuries during qualifying for the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix on 25 July, 2009, when a spring that fell off Rubens Barrichello’s car hit his helmet and fractured his skull. The pilot became unconscious and hit the wall of tyres around the edge of the track. The injured pilot was taken to the MoD National Health Care Centre where, following the fast stabilization of his condition and the diagnosis, a life-saving emergency surgery was performed on him. After the operation he was nursed in the intensive care unit and was on a respirator for 48 hours. Following that the condition of his left eye was clarified, the doctors said he suffered no lasting damage. After his condition has improved, the pilot’s wounds were treated and his ‘mobilization’ was carried out in the neurosurgical ward of the hospital.

Felipe Massa was released from the National Health Care Centre on 3 August in an improved general condition, with a healed wound, his further rehabilitation will be carried out in his homeland. According to the latest news the racer can perhaps return to the wheel as early as this year, in Monza, although this information hasn’t been officially confirmed yet.