A Marine Corps veteran and retired Illinois firefighter has spent more than a year in the hospital with irreversible brain injuries that his family claims were triggered by eating raw oysters.
Joe Belgio, 44, allegedly suffered cardiac arrest, slipped into a coma that lasted for months and was left with permanent brain damage after consuming contaminated oysters at Gibsons Steakhouse & Bar in Oak Brook, roughly 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 outing was meant to be a joyful family celebration when he ordered and ate the oysters before becoming critically 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. At the time, she said, the couple had recently welcomed their daughter, Carmela, who was five months old.
Three days after the meal, Belgio went into cardiac arrest and “lost consciousness and oxygen for at least eight minutes,” his attorney, Scott O’Sullivan, told ABC 7 Chicago.
O’Sullivan said Belgio was resuscitated by the Cicero Fire Department — the same department where he had once served — before being transported to a hospital for emergency care.
According to his attorney, medical testing later detected multiple bacteria in Belgio’s system.
The lawsuit claims the raw oysters exposed Belgio to two hazardous bacteria: Enteropathogenic E. coli, commonly referred to 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.
