Ben Askren Undergoes Double Lung Transplant

Amy, the spouse of former UFC fighter Ben Askren, has shared that her husband recently had a double lung transplant.

Currently in the hospital, Askren has been battling serious pneumonia for weeks. According to Amy Aklen, he was on life support for a period before receiving the transplant.

On Facebook, she wrote about the anxious wait for a donor, which lasted several weeks, before finally receiving the lifesaving organs.

Amy expressed immense gratitude, noting, “We are forever grateful to the donor and his family. This is the start of Ben’s new chapter.” She reflected on how just five weeks ago he was in perfect health, which feels surreal now.

She asked for prayers for Ben’s body to accept the new lungs, saying, “Ben keeps his body in your prayers that new lungs will welcome as if they were his own.”

Amy had announced in late June that Ben was on the transplant list. Earlier this month, they set up a donation page to assist with his medical expenses. She mentioned that after it launched, she received an update stating Ben was on a ventilator but had begun to regain some consciousness.

Amy conveyed her appreciation for the ongoing support, saying, “I am constantly adored at all the people who carry us now. I can’t wait to tell Ben all about it. I hope Ben will be able to offer the next update in the coming weeks, but hopefully, he will wait until the drugs go away.”

Ben Askren retired from mixed martial arts in 2019, holding a 19-2 record. He fought three times in the UFC, winning only one match. In 2021, he faced Jake Paul in a boxing match, where he was knocked out in the first round.

Recently, Paul mentioned he plans to help with Askren’s medical expenses following his fight with Julio César Chávez Jr.

In addition to his fighting career, Askren is also a two-time NCAA wrestling champion and represented the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.