UFC icon Ben Askren undergoes double lung transplant surgery as wife gives vital update on his condition
Ben Askren has received a potentially life-saving double lung transplant after being rushed to hospital with ‘severe pneumonia’ earlier this month.
The UFC icon previously suffered a staph infection and contracted pneumonia, before being rushed to hospital on June 7 to be put on a ventilator in critical condition.
Now his wife, who has kept fans in the loop throughout his ordeal, says he has received a life-saving operation on his lungs.
‘We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant,’ she wrote on her Instagram story on Monday morning.
‘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.
Former UFC fighter and boxer Ben Askren is on the transplant list in the hopes of receiving new lungs as he continues to battle severe pneumonia stemming from a staph infection
‘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.’
Last week, Askren’s wife had revealed he was on the transplant list and that doctors were desperately searching for a suitable donor match.
That came after false reports circulated that he had died in hospital. Instead, he was alive, but unresponsive after being transferred to his home town in Wisconsin to continue treatment.
Askren’s family have been calling for donations in recent weeks, with the cost of a lung transplant in the United States ranging from $300,000 (£222,915) to $400,000 (£297,220).
Askren retired from MMA in 2019 after a three-fight stint with the UFC.
He made his MMA debut in 2009 after a decorated collegiate wrestling career that saw him become a two-time NCAA division 1 champion.
The 2008 Olympian would go on a decade-long undefeated streak inside the cage, winning world titles in Bellator and ONE and was widely regarded as one of the best fighters in the world outside the UFC.
Askren, pictured here with his wife Amy and their three children, is still fighting for his life
Dana White shared the link to the fundraising page with his 10million followers on Instagram
Despite a fractious relationship with Dana White, Askren would make his Octagon debut in 2019 after a trade deal involving former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.
After defeating Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut, Askren suffered back-to-back losses against Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia before announcing his retirement.
Despite undergoing major hip surgery after hanging up his gloves, Askren later returned to competition, losing to Jake Paul via first-round TKO in a boxing match.
He married his wife in 2010 and they share three children, two daughters and a son.
