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A Marine Corps veteran and retired Illinois firefighter has been hospitalized for more than a year with permanent brain injuries allegedly caused by eating raw oysters.
Joe Belgio, 44, allegedly went into cardiac arrest, fell into a months-long coma and suffered permanent brain damage after eating contaminated oysters at Gibsons Steakhouse & Bar in Oak Brook — about 15 miles west of downtown Chicago — on June 30, 2025, according to a lawsuit obtained by ABC 7 Chicago.
Belgio’s fiancée, Melanie Stayer, said the couple was out celebrating with family when he ate the oysters before he fell gravely ill.
“This was a casual day with a casual man at a restaurant that he wanted to celebrate life with his family, and life can change so quickly,” Stayer told the outlet, adding that the couple had just welcomed their five-month-old daughter, Carmela, into the world at the time.
Belgio then went into cardiac arrest three days after eating the oysters, and “lost consciousness and oxygen for at least eight minutes,” his lawyer, Scott O’Sullivan, told the outlet.
O’Sullivan said Belgio was revived by the Cicero Fire Department, the same department in which he had previously served, before being rushed to the hospital.
His attorney said doctors screened Belgio for bacteria and found several pathogens in his system.
The lawsuit alleges Belgio contracted two dangerous bacteria from the oysters — Enteropathogenic E. coli, known as EPEC, and Plesiomonas shigelloides, CBS News reported.
The 44-year-old spent months in a coma after falling ill and has since been confined to a hospital bed — requiring around-the-clock care.
“He is most likely bedridden for the rest of his life,” O’Sullivan said. “He is extremely brain damaged, with very little cognitive capacity, and will need care for the rest of his life.”
Gibsons released a statement to ABC 7 Chicago saying “there have been no other reported cases of illness.”
“Based on the facts and our internal investigation, there is no evidence to suggest that our establishment caused his health condition. We are confident that a fair and thorough legal process will agree with this conclusion,” a spokesperson for the steakhouse said.
Two other seafood suppliers, Supreme Lobster and Seafood Company, have also been named in the lawsuit, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
A GoFundMe set up to help Belgio and his family pay for care describes him as a loving father, Little League coach and “a man dedicated to service.”
“An ex-Marine and firefighter who has devoted his life to protecting others and serving his country,” the page reads.
“He completed a courageous tour of duty in Iraq, demonstrating unwavering loyalty and heart every step of the way. Joe has always been the first to lend a hand when help is needed.”
Since launching on July 8, 2025, the page has raised over $85,000.
Belgio has already racked up more than $1 million in medical bills, CBS News reported.
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