By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-11 22:13:11 | Updated at 2026-08-19 07:17:46
1 week ago
A Marine veteran and firefighter has suffered permanent brain damage after eating contaminated oysters at an Illinois steakhouse, according to a recent lawsuit.
In June 2025, 44-year-old Joe Belgio visited Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse in Oak Brook, a village just west of Chicago, with his fiancée, Melanie Stayer, and their then-five-month-old daughter.
At the restaurant, Belgio ate raw oysters and contracted pathogens that left him severely ill, according to a lawsuit filed in Cook County Court on Monday on behalf of the veteran.
After getting sick, Belgio suffered a severe cardiac arrest in early July 2025 and went without oxygen for at least eight minutes before he was resuscitated by firefighters, attorney Scott O'Sullivan told ABC7 Chicago.
The time Belgio spent unable to breathe left him with an anoxic brain injury, and he was in a coma for months.
The veteran is now seriously mentally disabled and almost unrecognizable. His lawyers and fiancée have said he is bedridden and requires around-the-clock care.
Photos from before and after the veteran's brain injury show a shocking change in appearance.
The product liability lawsuit named multiple defendants, including the steakhouse itself, its parent company Gibsons Restaurant Group, Supreme Lobsters and Seafood Company, Taylor Shellfish Company and five 'unknown' restaurant ownership and management individuals.
Joe Belgio, 44, was left brain-damaged after eating contaminated oysters at Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse near Chicago, according to a recent lawsuit
Belgio went to the restaurant in June 2025 with his fiancée, Melanie Stayer, and their then-five-month-old daughter
Belgio has been left unrecognizable after the pathogens he allegedly contracted from the oysters caused him to suffer cardiac arrest and stop breathing for at least eight minutes
The lawsuit claims that after Belgio was hospitalized, his doctors 'determined to a reasonable degree of medical certainty' that he contracted the pathogens which caused his illness by eating the restaurant's oysters.
The pathogens, Enteropathogenic E coli, or EPEC, and Plesiomonas shigelloides, are associated with shellfish contamination, his attorneys said.
At a press conference on Monday announcing the lawsuit, a visibly emotional Stayer told reporters: 'Even at his weakest, Joe remains the strongest man I’ve ever known. Joe has shown again and again that he is still here and that he is not finished.'
Stayer added to ABC7: 'This is a man who deployed. He ran into burning buildings, and you thought he was out of the line of fire, and really, he wasn't.'
Belgio's fiancée has been left to contend with seven-figure medical bills to pay for his treatment. The lawsuit is seeking compensation to help cover the costs, which continue to mount.
A GoFundMe organized to help Stayer with her fiancé's medical care described Belgio as 'a man dedicated to service.'
Belgio is an 'ex-Marine and firefighter who has devoted his life to protecting others and serving his country,' the fundraiser stated.
'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.'
Belgio's ongoing medical costs have already climbed into the seven figures. The lawsuit is seeking compensation to help cover the bills
Belgio is a Marine veteran, and he also worked as a firefighter. He is pictured in uniform while serving in the Marines
Belgio's fiancée said: 'This is a man who deployed. He ran into burning buildings, and you thought he was out of the line of fire, and really, he wasn't'
Gibsons Restaurant Group shared a statement with FOX21 that said: 'The impact of Mr. Belgio’s cardiac event is tragic. We recognize the seriousness of what he is facing and wish him a full recovery.
'We take food safety extremely seriously, and providing a superior and safe dining experience is always our primary focus. 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.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to the company for further comment.
