Former UFC star Ben Askren is opening up about his recent health scare that left him hospitalized for nearly two months and fighting for his life.
Askren, 41, was discharged July 22 after 58 days in the hospital. He lost 35 pounds during his stay and now relies on a walker while struggling to lift even five-pound weights. Despite the setbacks, he vowed to rebuild his strength and serve as an inspiration.
How It Started
Askren said the ordeal began with what he thought was a back spasm.
“We went one day and I thought it was a back spasm,” Askren told FloWrestling. “I got medicine, and it didn’t work at all. So we went back the next day. I remember walking in, and that’s it. I had my surgery on June 28. I don’t think I came to until July 1 or so. It’s a huge chunk of time in there where I don’t remember anything.”
He credited his wife for insisting he seek medical care.
“Honestly, thank God for my wife,” Askren said. “I was kind of fighting it. I didn’t want to go to the hospital. It’s one of those things where had I waited another hour or something, it might’ve been a wrap.”
Hospitalization and Surgery
Askren doesn’t remember anything from May 28 to July 2. After being admitted in Las Vegas, he was med-flighted back to Wisconsin for advanced care.
“I believe I was on a medical flight because they did something called ECMO that keeps you alive,” Askren said. “They had to have me on two ECMO machines to keep me alive. At some point, they said, ‘This is not going to work. You either need a lung transplant or he’s gone.’”
Askren ultimately underwent a double lung transplant.
Waking Up
The former UFC fighter described the moment he regained consciousness.
“It was at night, so there was no one else in my room,” Askren said. “So I’m like, ‘Oh sht. How did I get here?’ … My first worry was, ‘Holy fck, I hope I didn’t do something dumb and crash a car.’ Eventually, I remembered going to the hospital, and then Amy came in and told me what happened.”
Faith and Gratitude
Askren said the experience shifted his perspective, even leading him to embrace Christianity.
“I woke up and I decided I was a Christian,” Askren said. “I have so much gratitude for everyone who has helped out.”
The Road Ahead
Askren said the first six months are critical in determining whether his body rejects the new lungs, with risk dropping even further after a year.
“I’m not going to be a dummy. I don’t want to die,” Askren said. “So I’m going to take necessary precautions.”
Askren plans to step away from wrestling for now but hopes to remain involved with The Askren Wrestling Academy.
“I can’t be around big groups of people,” Askren said. “That makes me sad because I had some really cool things planned in July and August. Now it’s like, I can’t. I pretty much stay at my house on my computer or find some other way to help AWA.”
Despite the challenges, Askren said he is determined to push forward in recovery.
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