Did Florence Griffith-Joyner have a history of epilepsy? Everything to know about the legendary sprinter's health issues

In 1988, Florence Griffith-Joyner passed away due to an epileptic seizure. Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes recurring seizures. The three-time Olympic gold medalist suffered from a type of epileptic seizure known as cavernous hemangioma.

The tTrack and field legend is widely known for her unbeatable performances at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She won the 100m and 200m races in a time frame that stands unbeaten till today.

She finished the 100m race in 10.49s and the 200m race in 21.34s. She also boasts of a silver medal in the 200m race at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her athletic records undoubtedly make her the fastest woman in the world.

Florence Griffith-Joyner at a championship

Florence Griffith-Joyner announced her retirement in February 1988, right when she was at the peak of her career. However, months after hanging her shoes, she left the world on September 21, 1998. The athlete died in her sleep at home in the Canyon Crest neighborhood of Mission Viejo, California.

According to the World Athletics website, initially, rumours sprung that the athlete died due to heart problems. It also stated the allegations on Griffith-Joyner that she experienced side effects from using performance-enhancing drugs during her peak career in 1988.

However, Orange County officials who investigated the matter stated that the athlete suffered cavernous angioma. It is a congenital vascular brain abnormality that made her experience seizures. The condition allows blood to accumulate outside normal blood vessels in the brain or spinal tissue.

Moreover, a family attorney revealed that Flo-Jo did have a history of epilepsy. In 1990, she suffered a tonic-clonic seizure and later got treated for it in 1993 and 1994.

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Florence Griffith-Joyner's early life

Florence Griffith-Joyner image from her competition days

Florence Griffith-Joyner was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1959. She belonged to a family of seven children with her father working as an electrician and her mother as a seamstress.

The future athletics great began running when she joined the Sugar Ray Robinson Organization during her elementary school years. She continued with her passion even when she advanced to Jordan High School in Los Angeles.

By the time she graduated from high school, Flo-Jo had already set high-school records in sprinting and long jump. She became a part of the track team when she went to the California State University at Northridge. The team was coached by the legendary Bob Kersee.

However, the young athlete had to drop out of college and take the job of a bank teller to support her family.

Flo-Jo’s passion for running was retrieved when her coach Kersee found financial aid for her and helped her return to college in 1980. She joined the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and trained under Kersee.

In 1983, Flo-Jo made her world championship debut at the 200m race in 1983. The rest, as they say, is history. Sadly though, the world was deprived of this amazing person in the same year that saw her ascend to heights of greatness.