Ben Askren’s Double Lung Transplant Journey: From Pneumonia to New Air
Breathing is dramatically underrated until someone gifts you a brand-new set of lungs, and that’s exactly how Ben Askren’s summer started. The former MMA contender, admitted to a U.S. hospital in early June after a staph infection escalated into severe pneumonia, just completed a double lung transplant, TMZ reports. His original lungs apparently tapped out faster than his opponents ever did in the ring. Amy Askren, his wife and part-time hopeful optimist, took to Facebook before dawn Monday to confirm that a donor matched—a speedier turnaround than most people get on concert tickets. She called the procedure “successful,” though she wisely reminded fans that medicine doesn’t come with guaranteed returns.
As Amy shared snapshots of get-well notes and photos plastered on his hospital wall, she admitted feeling “constantly in awe of all the people carrying us through right now.” Because nothing says solidarity like sticky notes and prayer chains stacked above a ventilator. She humbly asked everyone to “keep Ben in your prayers that his body welcomes the new lungs as if they were his own,” proving that hope is apparently more potent than any prescription. Her cautionary add-on—“so much can change so quickly”—served as a blunt reminder that even a “successful” transplant can wobble on its post-surgery legs.
The Askrens’ outpouring of gratitude doubled as a live-action status update for fans. Pictures of hospital balloons and handwritten cards looked like they were auditioning for their own reality show. Such enthusiastic décor might help morale, though it won’t do much to steady immunosuppressants. Amy even teased that she’s eager for Ben to address his supporters once the anesthesia fog lifts—“hopefully he will wait until the drugs wear off,” she quipped, capturing the rare moment when recovering patients are funnier than most stand-up comedians.
Details remain scarce on the donor’s identity—privacy rules, medical ethics, and basic decency apply, even when we crave backstory. All we know is that Askren’s body accepted the new organs well enough to keep the medical team from flipping out on social media. If things stay on track, he may swap ICU pajamas for T-shirts and sunnies very soon. Fingers are crossed that this transplant becomes the plot twist with a happy ending rather than a cliffhanger. The former elite fighter may not be entering any octagons soon, but at least he can inhale without sending an SOS to Mother Nature.
So there you have it: Ben Askren’s lungs have undergone a lineup change, and everyone’s holding their breath (in a healthy, non-desperate way) for the next update. Well, there you have it—humanity’s finest hour, one donated organ at a time. Stay tuned for more near-death detours and questionable life swaps.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, Amy Askren’s Facebook post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
