Ben Askren is back home and starting on the long road to recovery following a life-threatening battle with pneumonia that left him underdoing a double lung transplant, and he’s not afraid to show just how frail he is physically at this moment in a new video.
Sitting in just a pair of shorts looking very thin, the recently turned 41-year-old Askren reveals that he still needs to re-learn how to walk, among many other physical hurdles left to overcome.
“At home for four days now. It’s awesome,” Askren said. “Sleep in my own bed. Eat my own food. Hand out with my family. It’s great.
“That being said, I’ve still go so many physical challenges to deal with. I’m still down about 35 pounds from where I should be. I’ve got to walk with a walker. I can’t walk. I can’t walk. This five-pound weight, it’s actually hard for me to curl.”
That being said, Askren continues to show his mental strength by not feeling sorry for himself and instead using his situation as a chance to inspire others.
“I am where I am right now, but I’m going to be somewhere different in a month,” Askren said. “I’m going to work my ass off. I’m going to get better, so why can’t you too? What are you waiting for? Right?
“There’s barely anybody in the world in as low of a physical condition as me right now. I can’t walk without using a walker and do a five-pound curl. It’s pathetic. I totally understand that, but it doesn’t matter where we’re starting. I’m going to finish somewhere different. And so some of you guys who aren’t getting started, get your butt movin. Get started. I’ve got one way to go. I think you do too. Let’s make it happen.”
