Ben Askren, Former MMA Champion, on Lung Transplant List
Former MMA champion Ben Askren has been placed on the lung transplant list and has shown small signs of improvement, according to his wife. Askren, 40, remains hospitalized and needs a lung transplant in his home state of Wisconsin. His wife, Amy, indicated that his other organs are in good condition. The condition of the former MMA champion and amateur wrestler has improved so much that he even requested coffee on Monday.Amy also recounted a hopeful moment: “Yesterday, he was muttering something for a while and we finally discovered he was saying, ‘coffee!’ (He still can’t have it, haha). What a great relief to see him asking for something so normal. I am very grateful that his mind is healthy and I can’t wait to have him back.” Askren has been hospitalized for the entire month due to severe pneumonia. On June 17, he was being assisted by a ventilator. Askren developed his entire professional career in Hartland, Wisconsin, and runs a wrestling academy in the area. He retired from MMA in 2019 and was a two-time NCAA Division I champion in freestyle wrestling and a member of the 2008 United States Olympic team. Ben and Amy have three children.“Last night, Ben is officially on the transplant list,” Amy wrote on Facebook. “Please pray that he strengthens and remains stable without complications while he waits, and that they find an incredible match for him and he accepts it without problems.”
Amy, Ben Askren’s wife
