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The UFC former fighter, Ben Askren, Amy, revealed that her husband had received a double pulmonary transplant.
Askren has been at the hospital treated with a serious case of pneumonia for several weeks. Amy Aksren wrote that her husband was on life support for a while before receiving the transplant.
She wrote on Facebook on Monday that after weeks of waiting for a donor, her husband finally found one.
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Ben Askren is held in his corner before his Welter weight fight against Demian Maia in Brazil during the UFC night fighting event at Singapore Indoor Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Singapore. (Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
“We are forever grateful to the donor and his family,” wrote Amy. “This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day when he has, it’s a gift. He still doesn’t feel real that he was walking completely healthy only 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly.
“Please keep Ben in your prayers so that his body welcomes new lungs as if they were his.”
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Amy said on June 24 that Ben had been placed on the transplant list.
A donation page was created to help finance Askren’s treatment earlier this month, and was updated by Amy nine days after putting online to say that Ben was on a fan.
She added that doctors were able to “wean her sedation enough to open their eyes and shake hands”.
The Olympian Ben Askren points to the crowd as he enters the carpet to face his Olympian and native compatriot of the New Jersey Jordan Burroughs (not illustrated) during the streets “grapples in the garden” on Monday May 6, 2019 in New York. (Danielle Parhizkaran / Northjersey.com)
“I am constantly impressed by all the people who are transporting us right now,” said Amy. “I can’t wait to say everything to Ben. I hope that in the coming weeks, Ben will be able to give the next update, but I hope he will wait for the drugs to dissipate.”
Askren retired from the mixed martial arts in 2019 after having a 19-2 file. He only fought three times in UFC, winning only one of his fights.
In 2021, he also fought Jake Paul in a boxing match, where he was eliminated in the first round.
Paul recently declared that he was planning to make donations to Askren to help with medical invoices after his recent fight against Julio César Chávez Jr.
Ben Askren is preparing to enter the octagon before his Welter weight fight against Demian Maia in Brazil during the UFC combat evening at Singapore Indoor Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Singapore. (Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Askren was also a wrestler, winning two NCAA titles, while also representing the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
