30/04/2026
A Sheffield man who had just suffered an epileptic seizure lay on a busy city centre street for 20 minutes during the lunchtime rush hour - and nobody helped.
Joe Robbins, aged 29, says the public blackout on April 21 is the second he has had in a month - having collapsed on Glossop Road just three weeks earlier.
He hopes to raise awareness of the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) during such seizures - particularly where sufferers may fall and injure themselves.
Joe, who almost died during a seizure surrounded by family on Christmas Day 2023, believes he may have been mistaken for drunk or on drugs, however he says understanding of the risks could save lives.
Speaking about the April 21 blackout he said: “I was around 1pm or 2pm in the lunch rush on West Street when I blacked out.
“When I came around I was groggy but I must have been there for 20 minutes. But when it happens and people are not around you’re more likely to injure yourself it’s uncontrolled and not you’re not properly medicated.
“I barely managed to get home but I just realised that no-one had stopped. No-one was around me. I was not aware at the time but people must have thought I was drunk.”
However Joe says that, worryingly, “exactly the same thing” happened three weeks ago Joe on Glossop Road.
He added: “It was really busy and I just woke up to no-one so I assume no-one stopped.
“Times before I’ve been woken up at work with people asking if I’m Ok. But there was no-one - it baffles me. “
SUDEP affects around one in 1,000 people with epilepsy annually.
While the exact cause is unknown, it is often linked to breathing difficulties or heart rhythm changes during or after a seizure.
Biomedical scientist Joe described how on Christmas Day in 2023 he stopped breathing for “a good few minutes” while surrounded by family, adding: “They were pretty sure I was going to die.”
Joe says most epilepsy sufferers wear medical ID tags advising of the condition, related medication with details of emergency contacts. He says anyone who finds an epileptic in a similar situation to Joe should check for a tag.
He added: “Pretty much everyone I know with epilepsy has one. My advice would then be to ring 999 for an ambulance or to speak to someone who can advise.”
