Ben Askren is about to make a significant change in his life after getting through a double lung transplant.
The former Bellator and ONE FC champion was facing a life-threatening battle with pneumonia earlier this year but pushed through and is now recovering. He recently appeared at an RAF Wrestling event, where he looked almost back to his old self.
He had been set to fight in the promotion, which was created by the late Hulk Hogan and his former WCW boss Eric Bischoff. And since the illness, he has taken on a new ambassadorial role within the company as well as matchmaking.
Ben Askren committed to supporting others after double lung transplant
After making a remarkable return to wrestling earlier this year, Ben Askren continued to draw attention with his renewed appearance at the most recent RAF event. Speaking to The Schmo, he spoke about how his outlook on life has evolved since his illness.
“There were people showing up when I wasn’t awake, helping with my kids, sending prayers and everything,” Askren said of his experience, noting that even as he was unconscious the groundswell of support kept his life afloat.
“If there’s one thing I’m personally going to try to do better, it’s show love to other people, pay attention to when other people are going through hard times and make sure I’m there for them.”
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