23 Athletes with Epilepsy

Do you know which popular professional athletes have epilepsy? Several famous NFL players, MLB stars, and Olympians have epilepsy. Some of these athletes were diagnosed when they were children, while others were diagnosed as adults. One famous football player grew out of his epilepsy, but now his son suffers from the disorder.

Who is the most famous athlete with epilepsy? Florence Griffith Joyner tops our list. Florence Griffith Joyner suffered from epileptic seizures throughout the 1990s. She died from suffocation during a severe seizure on Sept. 21, 1998. Dai Greene has epilepsy. He says, "As long as you’re focused and ­dedicated – especially in a sport – there’s no reason it should dictate your life.”

Tiki Barber suffered from epileptic seizures until the age of five. His son A.J. has also had about 10 seizures. Jonty Rhodes was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child. He says, "Most people with epilepsy live a very normal life and should not be discriminated against either socially or in the work place." Marion Clignet was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 22 years old.

Do you think that it would be difficult to be a professional athlete with epilepsy? Share your thoughts in the comments section.