Outside Source
Ben Askren says he ‘died four times’ during battle with pneumonia. | Jason Burgos/Sherdog.com
For the first time since being hospitalized with pneumonia, Ben Askren was able to speak for himself.
In recent weeks, Askren’s wife Amy has provided updates on the his condition as he progressed from being on a ventilator to receiving approval for a double lung transplant. After undergoing that procedure, Askren was able to release a video statement via Instagram from his hospital bed on Wednesday.
“I just read through my wife’s journal because I don’t remember anything from May 28 to July 2. No recollection. No idea. No idea what happened …I just read through my wife’s journals and it’s like a movie. It’s ridiculous,” Askren said.
The former Bellator MMA and ONE Championship title holder revealed that he came close to death on multiple occasions. Askren has also lost a significant amount of weight, which was evident in his appearance, but he said that he is gradually getting stronger.
“So I only died four times where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds,” Askren said. “That’s not ideal. But I got the double lung transplant. I made it out the other side of it. Gaining quite a bit of strength, learning to use everything again.
“I was actually on the scale yesterday — 147 pounds. I haven’t been 147 pounds since I was 15 years old. So that’s like 50 pounds [lost] in a 45-day period. Man, that was a battle. I don’t remember most of it.”
As a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler at the University of Missouri and a 2008 Olympian, Askren was a significant figure in the wrestling community. “Funky” later made a name for himself with stints in Bellator, ONE and the UFC before retiring from MMA in 2019. As he reflected on his current situation, Askren couldn’t help but be grateful for the outpouring of support from friends, family and others who were aware of his condition.
Askren: It’s Like I Got to Have My Own Funeral
“The thing that was most impactful to me was all the love I felt from everybod. It was almost like I got to have my own funeral,” he said. “I still remember 30 years ago when Dave Schultz died, you would listen to all these older people recollect, how much they enjoyed him, how much they loved him, and obviously he never got to hear that. The outpouring of love from the wrestling community is just amazing. It felt so good.
“I’m more motivated than ever to keep giving back and to do what I can. I love you guys. I appreciate you guys. It’s been tough, not only on me but my whole family and my close community. I appreciate everything.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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