The Las Vegas Sphere is so intense it hospitalized my husband... here is my warning to others
Michelle Albin, from Minnesota, went to see country star Kenny Chesney. But her husband, who had no prior medical issues, suddenly collapsed
By Jack Toledo
Daily Mail
Sep 3, 2025
A woman who visited the Las Vegas Sphere has described how the birthday treat turned into a horrifying experience.
Michelle Albin, from Minnesota, went to see country star Kenny Chesney at the venue for her birthday alongside husband Brian back in May.
But the concert soon turned into a terrifying experience when her spouse, 54, who she said had no prior medical issues, suddenly collapsed.
She has since explained to Daily Mail how he was on his second beer when he 'bumped up' next to her and his body began 'shaking.'
Brian then fell further with Michelle, who works as a dentist, able to catch him and 'lower him towards the ground.'
'It happened without warning. There were no signs leading up to it — he was fine one second and unconscious the next. People think they can close their eyes or sit down if they feel dizzy, but there was no chance to react,' she shared.
The doting wife was horrified to see Brian's face turn white and his eyes roll back – signs that led her to believe he was suffering a heart attack.
Brian laid on the floor unconscious for up to five minutes as Michelle attempted to attract the attention of trained medical personnel, adding: 'I was panicking and yelling for help.'
She claimed: 'At first [staff] treated it like maybe he was just a 25–year–old who drank too much in Vegas but when the EMTs got there, he lost consciousness again.'
Michelle shared that he was placed on a stretcher and rushed to hospital where there was more medical equipment to deal with Brian's condition – which turned out to be a photosensitive seizure.
Around one in 100 people has epilepsy and, of these people, around 3 percent have photosensitive epilepsy.
While most epileptic seizures are not life-threatening, a rare condition called Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) can occur in some individuals.
Brian followed up with his doctor, who wouldn't refer him to a neurologist unless the seizures became a pattern – which thankfully, have not.
'The Sphere is so much more intense than a theme park ride. People need to know it's on another scale,' Michelle concluded.
The Daily Mail reached out to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, Chief Medical Advisor for Sleepopolis, about how seizures can be triggered in environments similar to those at the Sphere.
When asked if an immersive venue can precipitate a first seizure in someone with no prior history, and what makes that plausible, he replied: 'It's unusual but not impossible.
The country concert soon turned into a terrifying experience when her spouse, 54, who she said had no prior medical issues, suddenly collapsed
Michelle shared that he was placed on a stretcher and rushed to hospital where there was more medical equipment to deal with Brian's condition – and where he slowly recovered
'Some people have an underlying sensitivity to flashing lights or certain patterns and just don't know it until they're exposed to something extreme.
'A venue with massive, bright wraparound screens and booming sound is about as intense as it gets, so it can trigger that first event in rare cases.'
Dr. Raj commented on the most dangerous kinds of special effects: 'The biggest culprits are strobes flashing three to 30 times per second, super–bright visuals that fill your entire field of view, and rapid scene changes that don't give your brain a break.
'High–contrast patterns, like black–and–white stripes or grids, can also set off a reaction, especially when combined with those other effects.'
He explained further on factors that can amplify risk: 'Anything that stresses or excites the brain makes seizures more likely.
'Skipping sleep, flying across time zones, showing up dehydrated, or loading up on alcohol, caffeine, or other substances is basically giving your brain less buffer.
'Even missing regular medication doses can add to that risk.'
He mentioned what to do if you or someone is having a seizure: 'Stay calm and focus on keeping the person safe. Don't hold them down or put anything in their mouth.
'Just make sure they're not hitting nearby seats or railings. If possible, turn them on their side to keep their airway clear and allow any fluids to drain from their mouth. Try to keep track of how long it lasts and of course call for help if needed.
'Especially if the person has another seizure soon after, if they have trouble breathing or waking up, if they are injured, or if you are unsure of their medical history.'
The Daily Mail reached out to The Sphere for comment.
The Sphere - which thousands of people attend daily - does make all guests aware of the elements involved in immersive shows on both its website and Ticketmaster, and guests have to accept the detail before purchasing tickets.
It states that concerts 'may include elements such as seat haptics, movement sensations, flashing lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises, falling and flying objects, projectiles, pyrotechnics and atmospheric simulations such as fog, wind, bubbles, mist and scent.'
It continues: 'Such elements may aggravate certain medical or physical conditions, and guests should take into consideration if they have a history of discomfort or physical symptoms when experiencing these elements.
'If you have any concerns and/or are pregnant, you should consult with your physician prior to attending an immersive experience.'
We were planning to attend the Wizard of Oz at The Sphere but due to my wife's history of migraines sometimes brought on by light stimuli we have decided to forgo the experience.
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