Ben Askren, a former professional blended martial arts (MMA) fighter who additionally represented United States wrestling on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is awake and speaking after surviving one of the crucial grueling battles of his life—not within the octagon, however in a hospital mattress.
Askren, 40, revealed in an Instagram put up on Wednesday that he misplaced 50 kilos in simply 45 days after contracting extreme pneumonia, which in the end led to a double lung transplant.
“I truly simply learn by means of my spouse’s journal as a result of I don’t bear in mind something between April twenty eighth and July 2,” Askren mentioned. “I solely died 4 occasions, the place the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds. Not supreme.”
Askren added that whereas studying to make use of every thing once more and regain power, he recorded his weight on Tuesday and discovered he was 147 kilos. “I haven’t been 147 kilos since I used to be 15 years outdated,” he mentioned.
Within the video above, Askren fights by means of tears, saying what was most impactful to him “was the love I felt from all people. It was virtually like I acquired to be at my very own funeral.”
“The outpouring of affection from the wrestling group was simply wonderful. It felt so good,” he mentioned. “I really feel motivated to maintain giving again. I really like you guys and recognize you guys.”
Askren retired from MMA in 2019 after competing within the UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championships. He remained undefeated in each Bellator and ONE, the place he was additionally the longest-reigning champion in every group’s historical past. Askren remained lively within the combat-sports group, together with a quick stint the place he tried skilled boxing—dropping to Jake Paul by first spherical technical knock-out (TKO) in 2021.
Askren was admitted to a Wisconsin hospital in Might with a extreme case of pneumonia. However based on his spouse, Amy, who detailed the ordeal on Fb, the sickness acquired so dangerous he was ultimately placed on a ventilator and, ultimately, added to the checklist for a lung transplant.
“It nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual that he was strolling round fully wholesome simply 5 weeks in the past,” Amy wrote in a Fb put up on June 30. “A lot can change so rapidly.”
Pneumonia, particularly if it’s sophisticated by different components like underlying infections or immune suppression, could cause irreversible harm to lung tissue. In Askren’s case, the an infection was so extreme that each lungs failed, necessitating a double lung transplant. The surgical procedure includes eradicating each affected lungs and changing them with wholesome donor organs, a course of that additionally comes with its personal dangers and requires lifelong immunosuppression to stop rejection of the brand new tissue.
In response to Sports activities Illustrated, Askren’s double-lung transplant value an estimated $2 million, which wasn’t going to be coated by his medical health insurance, so his spouse Amy turned to crowdfunding to encourage donations from pals, household, and followers. Notably, Jake Paul mentioned he would assist cowl Askren’s medical payments, whereas additionally slamming UFC CEO Dana White and the medical-insurance trade at massive for not providing to assist.
“None of those individuals, like Dana [White] or anybody, are stepping in. So I really feel like I’ve to do one thing,” Paul mentioned at a press convention.
