The wife of former UFC star Ben Askren has expressed hope for a miracle as her husband may need a lung transplant.
Askren is currently hospitalized and on a ventilator, fighting a severe case of pneumonia that developed after a staph (bacterial) infection.
His wife, Amy, shared that she “never could have expected” such an “awful situation,” particularly for her 40-year-old husband, whom she describes as “the healthiest guy I know.”
Amy provided an update on his condition via Facebook after he was transferred from a hospital in Las Vegas to one in Wisconsin.
She explained that Ben`s “critical” condition has experienced significant fluctuations, leading doctors to begin the “evaluation process” for a potential lung transplant.
Amy praised the overwhelming support received from the MMA community and beyond.
“I am still praying for a miracle with his current lungs,” Amy stated.
She added, “I know transplants are such a blessing and I am overwhelmed at the thought of him receiving a gift like that.”
Amy firmly believes, “No one would take better care of that gift than Ben.”
She also asked fans of her partner, affectionately known as “Funky,” to join her in prayer for his recovery.
“Thank you for every message and all of the support,” Amy concluded. “Despite this awful situation, I’m feeling so blessed by the community we’re surrounded by.”
She urged everyone to appreciate their health and also be prepared for unexpected circumstances.
“Give your loved ones a hug today,” Amy advised.
“And make sure you are prepared for situations like this,” she added. “Ben is the healthiest guy I know and I never could have expected this.”
The former welterweight fighter was admitted to the hospital earlier this month after developing a lung issue and subsequent pneumonia following an infection.
He was briefly “unresponsive” and has since been on a ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life support technique that functions like an artificial lung.
Askren`s friend, former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier, spoke emotionally about his podcast co-host.
Cormier said, “Pray for Amy, guys. Pray for the kids. Ben, we love you, buddy.”
“We are constantly thinking about him every single day,” he added.
“I cannot wait for the next ‘Funky and the Champ’ [their podcast] because we will talk about that so much more,” Cormier shared.
Last week, Amy had to address and dismiss false rumors circulating on social media claiming her husband had passed away.
She told TMZ that he was “definitely still fighting.”
Askren retired from mixed martial arts in 2019 after a record of one win and two losses in the UFC.
However, he returned to competition two years later for a boxing match against YouTuber Jake Paul, which he lost by first-round knockout.
Elton Marrow