Ben Askren's wife provides positive update after former UFC star undergoes double lung transplant
Ben Askren's wife has provided a positive update after the mixed martial arts veteran underwent a double lung transplant this week.
Askren, a former Olympic wrestler and MMA champion who later ventured into boxing, retired from combat sports in 2021 at the age of 36, and at just 40, the American found himself facing a complicated health issue this month.
His wife Amy wrote on Facebook on 7 June that Askren was suffering from 'severe pneumonia', as she asked for 'prayers for healing and for peace'. On 17 June, she added: 'I'm still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for lung transplant.'
After reports suggested that Askren's health insurance would not cover a double lung transplant, Amy provided a positive update on Monday (30 June), writing: 'We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant. We are forever thankful to the donor and his family.
'This is the beginning of a new lifestyle for Ben, but every new day he has is a gift. It still doesn't feel real that he was walking around completely healthy just 5 weeks ago. So much can change so quickly.
'Please keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own. I am constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now. I can't wait to tell Ben all about It.
'I'm hopeful that in coming weeks Ben will be able to give the next update, but hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off.'
Askren went to the 2008 Olympics as a Team USA wrestler, before beginning an MMA career in which he won the Bellator and ONE welterweight titles and stayed unbeaten until his final two fights.
His last three fights all took place in the UFC in 2019, as he submitted Robbie Lawler before suffering a record-setting five-second knockout by Jorge Masvidal and a submission by Demian Maia.
Askren then boxed once, facing YouTuber Jake Paul in 2021 and falling to a first-round knockout. He has not competed in any combat sport since.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
Pirates pound Cardinals, extend run blowout wins to four
July 1 - Andrew Heaney and Chase Shugart combined on a four-hit shutout and the Pittsburgh Pirates' offense remained hot during a 7-0 rout of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Heaney (4-7) held St. Louis hitless until the sixth inning, when Victor Scott II produced a two-out single to left field. Heaney threw 6 2/3 innings and gave up three hits (all singles), walked one and struck out seven on 95 pitches. Shugart threw the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing one single while sealing the Pirates' fourth consecutive victory and their sixth win in the past eight games. Each of the past four wins had a margin of at least seven runs, Pittsburgh's longest streak since 1925. Spencer Horwitz led the Pirates' latest offensive outburst with a solo home run -- his second long ball of the season -- in the first off Cardinals starter Erick Fedde (3-8). Horwitz finished with two hits and three RBIs. Pittsburgh's Ke'Bryan Hayes had a hit and two RBIs while extending his hitting streak to nine games. He is batting 14-for-33 (.424) with 10 RBIs during the streak. Bryan Reynolds also had two hits for the Pirates while Nick Gonzales and Tommy Pham each had an RBI. The Cardinals lost for only the fourth time in their past 14 games and had a three-game winning streak snapped. St. Louis' three most recent defeats were all shutouts. Fedde was solid through the first four innings after allowing the early home run, but h e ran into trouble during what would become a six-run fifth inning for the Pirates. Joey Bart led off the inning with a single, Isiah Kiner-Falefa followed with a bunt hit and both scored on Horwitz's double. Gonzales doubled three batters later to knock in a run. After the Cardinals loading the bases by intentionally walking Oneil Cruz, Hayes drove in two more runs with a single to make it 6-0. Pham added another RBI single before Fedde finished the frame by getting Bart to ground into a double play. Fedde allowed all seven Pittsburgh runs on 10 hits and three walks in five innings. He had no strikeouts. --Field Level Media
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Saquon Barkley reveals the two teams who snubbed him before NFL star led the Eagles to Super Bowl glory
Saquon Barkley etched himself into Eagles history this past season, but two of Philly's division rivals didn't even approach him before he signed for the team last year. Barkley departed the Giants to sign a three-year, $37.75million with the Eagles before topping 2,000 rushing yards and leading the team to a rampant Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. Months earlier, however, he 'never heard a word' from the Commanders or Cowboys, as he told Twitch streamer Janky Rondo at DeVonta Smith's charity softball game. 'That's why it's BTA [belt to a**] when I see them,' Barkley added. Indeed, the running back was extremely effective against both franchises last season, as he totaled 529 rushing yards and four touchdowns in four meetings against Washington and Dallas in the regular season. Ultimately, Barkley thrived against just about everyone as he broke the single-season record for combined rushing yards in the regular season and playoffs. Barkley played the first six seasons of his career as a Giant after being drafted by New York, who never signed him to a second long-term deal. The Giants franchised Barkley in 2023 and brought him back on a one-year deal in 2024, after handing Daniel Jones a $160million contract. But they allowed Barkley to walk the following offseason, with the running back later saying on X that the team never extended him an official offer. However, there were reports the previous year that Barkley was offered a contract by the team, with ProFootballTalk saying in 2023 that he turned down a deal offering him $13million per season and $26million over the first two years. Regardless, Barkley went on to have a tremendous year with the Eagles and was rewarded with a $41.2million extension after. However, the 28-year-old may not have too many years left in his career. Speaking on the 'Green Light' podcast in June, he said his eventual retirement will happen quickly and take fans by surprise. 'I'll probably be one of those guys that it'll be out of nowhere. I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's next year or two years or four years, and just be like, "Yeah, it's over.'' Barkley and the Eagles are set to begin their 2025 season on September 4 against the Cowboys.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Reports: Hawks, Nickeil Alexander-Walker agree to $62M deal
July 1 - The Atlanta Hawks plan to acquire shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, multiple reports said Monday. Alexander-Walker will receive a new four-year, $62 million contract that features a player option and a trade kicker, according to ESPN. The deal will see Atlanta send Minnesota a 2027 second-round draft pick originally belonging to the Cleveland Cavaliers, along with cash, per the reports. Alexander-Walker, 26, averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range for the Wolves in 2024-25. He played in all 82 games, starting 10, in his second full season in Minnesota. In six NBA seasons split among the New Orleans Pelicans (2019-22), Utah Jazz (2022-23) and Wolves (2023-25), Alexander-Walker has career averages of 8.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game across 381 games (68 starts). --Field Level Media
