Ben Askren, the retired blended martial arts fighter, was hospitalized with a extreme case of pneumonia, which resulted in a double lung transplant. One month after his spouse, Amy Askren, shared her husband’s medical scare, he shared an replace about his well being in an Instagram video — claiming that he “died 4 occasions.”
In June 2025, Amy requested followers for his or her prayers and famous in one among her Fb posts that Ben “is the healthiest man I do know, and I by no means may have anticipated this.” Weeks later, he defined in his video that he had “no recollection, zero concept, no concept what occurred.”
“I simply learn by way of my spouse’s journal. It’s like a film,” Ben stated from his hospital mattress. “It’s ridiculous. I solely died 4 occasions, the place the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds.”
Under, see all updates on Ben’s well being and discover out what occurred to him.
Why Did Ben Askren Want a Double Lung Transplant?
Ben’s pneumonia battle worsened to the purpose the place he wanted a double lung transplant. Within the weeks previous to his operation, Amy up to date followers on his situation. On June 7, 2025, she wrote through Fb, “You might have heard that my husband Ben goes by way of one thing. He developed extreme pneumonia which got here on very out of the blue. He’s at the moment within the hospital and unable to reply to something presently.”
On the time, Amy additionally identified that she was “making an attempt to maintain life as regular as potential for our kids at the moment and doing our greatest to help them thoughtfully, so please chorus from discussing it with them for now.”
On June 17, Amy stated her husband was on a ventilator and nonetheless underneath sedation.
“I haven’t shared an replace as a result of Ben has been in limbo for some time, and I hoped to have him get up and be the one to determine what to share,” she started. “I’ve had some media individuals contact me that they will share an replace, and I might slightly it come from me. Ben remains to be on a ventilator and ECMO [Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, a lung-support system] to help him whereas he heals. There are good days and dangerous, however on the nice, they’ve been capable of wean his sedation sufficient for him to open his eyes and squeeze palms. His physique can’t deal with coming off sedation an excessive amount of but.”
Whereas declaring that she was “praying for a miracle with [Ben’s] present lungs,” Amy stated the docs had been “beginning the analysis course of for lung transplant.”
Ben Askren’s Well being After His Double Lung Transplant
On July 9, 2025, Ben shared an Instagram video from his hospital mattress. Lastly capable of converse, the previous professional boxer stated he had no recollection of something he went by way of and that he relied on his spouse’s journal to catch up.
Fortuitously, Ben was capable of converse, however as seen in his video, he nonetheless had hassle with a slight cough.
Weeks later, Ben was discharged from the hospital, he instructed TMZ.
Ben Askren’s Weight Loss & Highway to Restoration
Ben additionally talked about that, due to his sickness and lung transplant, he ended up dropping about 50 kilos over the course of 45 days. Within the Instagram video he shared on July 9, Ben stated the dimensions learn 147 kilos, which he hadn’t weighed since he was 15 years previous.
“The factor that was most impeccable to me was all of the love I felt,” Ben stated, earlier than including, “It was virtually like I received to have my very own funeral.”
What’s Subsequent for Ben Askren After His Well being Disaster?
Since Ben retired from blended martial arts in 2019, he hasn’t been within the skilled ring since then. And after his well being scare, it’s probably that he’ll give attention to his restoration and well being upon his launch from the hospital.
