Ben Askren’s wife Amy has issued a worrying update regarding the former MMA star’s health after confirming recent rumors that he may need to have a lung transplant.
The 40-year-old Askren has been in hospital since earlier this month when he suffered a staph infection that suddenly led him to also being struck down with severe pneumonia.
“I haven’t shared an update because Ben has been in limbo for a while and I was hoping to have him wake up and be the one to decide what to share…” Amy Askren wrote on Facebook.
“Ben is still on a ventilator and ecmo to support him while he heals. There are good days and bad, but on the good, they have been able to wean his sedation enough for him to open his eyes and squeeze hands. His body can’t handle coming off sedation too much yet. I’m still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for a lung transplant.
“I know transplants are such a blessing and I’m overwhelmed at the thought of him receiving a gift like that. No one would take better care of that gift than Ben.”
Given that there were false rumors circulating last week that Askren had passed away, it’s encouraging to hear that there are options available to improve his condition, though it should be stressed that a lung transplant is a very serious operation that comes with a lot of potential drawbacks.
For now though it’s clear that the whole MMA community stands united in wishing for the best possible outcome for the former Bellator and ONE FC champion.
