Imagine waking up one day to find you no longer recognise anyone around you: Your parents, your significant other, your friends – even your own face.

The terrifying event happened to British woman Jessica Sharman, 20, after she suffered a series of seizures during a train ride with her boyfriend, The Sun reported.

All her memories were wiped clean from the attack.

FACEBOOK When Jessica Sharman tried to end things with Rich Bishop after losing her memory, he was crushed but vowed not to give up.

Doctors at a London hospital diagnosed her with amnesia brought on by epilepsy, a condition she'd had since the age of 14.

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The news was devastating for friends and family, but doting boyfriend of seven months, Rich Bishop, 25, was determined to win her heart again.

He had his work cut out for him.

Sharman said she couldn't stand the sight of Bishop after the medical emergency, The Sun reported.

They shared a moment alone in the hospital but she "hated it".

"I didn't know him but he was acting like we were in love," she said.

Bishop wasn't the only one Sharman struggled to open her heart to.

Her parents, who she lived with, were as good as strangers.

"I've been told my body went limp and my eyes glazed over," she told The Sun. "I recall seeing a woman running towards me but I had no idea who she was. She kept saying she was my mum."

Sharman agreed to go home with her mother only after seeing a photo of them together.

Her inability to recognise her own parents was a heartbreaking matter for the family.

"Mum put a hand on my knee but I pushed it off," she said. "It felt weird to be touched by a stranger."

When Sharman tried to end things with Bishop two weeks after being discharged from hospital, he was crushed but vowed not to give up.

"He looked so hurt and promised he would help me remember how great we were together," Sharman told The Sun.

Bishop's patience soon thawed her heart.

He's helped her to reconnect with her past by going for walks together in the park and revisiting their favourite restaurants.

"I don't remember the first time I fell in love with Rich but I do remember the second," Sharman said.

While Bishop is succeeding in wooing his sweetheart back again, the threat of another episode of amnesia hangs over the relationship, The Sun reported.

Doctors say there is a 50 per cent chance of a recurrence, and that Sharman may never fully regain her memories.

It's a difficult reality to accept for such a young person.

"It's hard to explain losing 19 years' experiences – and doctors say I may never get these back," Sharman said.

But despite the uncertainty over her future, there's one thing she says she's sure of.

"Rich was able to make me fall in love with him twice – so I know he could do it again."