OAK BROOK, Ill. (WGN) – A lawsuit filed on behalf of a retired Illinois firefighter and Marine veteran describes how he allegedly suffered catastrophic brain injuries after eating raw oysters at a restaurant near Chicago.
The suit claims 44-year-old Joe Belgio, who served as a firefighter in Cicero, was exposed to multiple foodborne pathogens at Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse in Oak Brook.
Belgio suffered cardiac arrest, spent months in a coma, and now has permanent brain injuries, according to attorney Karen Arenas. His family says he requires around-the-clock care.
“But even at his weakest, Joe remains the strongest man I’ve ever known,” said a visibly emotional Melanie Stayer, Belgio’s fiancée. “Joe has shown again and again that he is still here and that he is not finished.”…