‘It has been a bit of a family secret’: Father of footy legend Andrew Johns reveals star’s seizures have been happening ‘for a while’
- Andrew Johns’ seizures have been ‘a family secret,’ according to his father
- The NRL legend collapsed in a packed coffee shop in his latest medical episode
- Onlookers said he lay in a semi-conscious state on the floor for several minutes
- Johns, 44, admitted last week the mystery seizures ‘have been going on a while’
Rugby league legend Andrew Johns’ brain seizures have been kept under wraps in ‘a family secret’ after being ‘a problem for a while,’ according to his father.
The one-time premiership-winning captain collapsed in a packed coffee shop on Friday, before admitting he had suffered from the debilitating seizures ‘for years’.
Now, his father Gary has revealed the extent of the condition and admitted the 44-year-old has long sought medical help for the mystery symptoms.
‘It has been a bit of a family secret. He has had this problem for a while,’ he told The Sunday Telegraph.
Johns was holidaying at Yamba, in northern New South Wales with partner Kate Kendall and their baby daughter Alice when he suffered the latest medical episode.
Rugby legend Andrew Johns’ brain seizures have ‘been a problem for a while’, and have been kept under wraps in ‘a bit of a family secret’, according to his father
Rugby league legend Andrew ‘Joey’ Johns suffered a series of seizures while on holiday with his family over the Christmas break (Andrew Johns pictured with partner Kate Kendall and daughter Alice)
While waiting to be served in the popular surfing town, he collapsed and bumped his head on the floor.
Onlookers reported the NRL star lay in a semi-conscious state on the floor for several minutes before someone called an ambulance.
Paramedics rushed to the scene where they treated Johns, but he refused to go to hospital.
‘They’re seizures that have been going on a while. I’m seeing the right doctors and they are doing all the tests and have got me on medication,’ Johns told the Daily Telegraph.
The former Newcastle Knights star believes the seizures occur when he’s really tired.
It is believed that Johns is receiving ongoing neurology treatment for the mystery disorder.
Onlookers reported the NRL star lay in a semi-conscious state on the floor for several minutes before someone called an ambulance
In September, Johns welcomed his third child with yoga instructor partner Kate Kendall.
He already has two children from previous marriages, 18-year-old Samuel with first wife Renae Chapman, and eight-year-old son Louis with second wife Catherine Mahoney.
Johns represented Australia in 24 tests and led the Newcastle Knights to a premiership cup in 2000.
In 2012 he was made the eighth Immortal and is considered one of the greatest Australian rugby league players of all time.
Johns played for New South Wales Blues for 23 State of Origin matches and was captain of the Newcastle Knights