Hartland native and Arrowhead High School graduate Ben Askren, a former Olympic wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter, remains hospitalized June 17 due to a severe case of pneumonia.
According to a health update shared on social media by his wife Amy, Askren may need a lung transplant. He is on a ventilator and ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation).
“I haven’t shared an update because Ben has been in limbo for a while and I was hoping to have him wake up and be the one to decide what to share,” Amy Askren wrote on her Facebook page. “I’ve had some media people contact me that they are going to share an update and I would rather it come from me.
“Ben is still on a ventilator and ecmo to support him while he heals. There are good days and bad, but on the good, they have been able to wean his sedation enough for him to open his eyes and squeeze hands. His body can’t handle coming off sedation too much yet. I’m still praying for a miracle with his current lungs, but they are currently starting the evaluation process for lung transplant. Please pray for his continued healing, and if transplant is the solution, that he can get on the list quickly and easily. I know transplants are such a blessing and I’m overwhelmed at the thought of him receiving a gift like that. No one would take better care of that gift than Ben.”
Askren, 40, a former MMA ONE FC and Bellator champion was originally hospitalized in Nevada, but he has since been moved to Wisconsin. Since the news of his severe illness, many members of the wrestling and combat sports communities have shared messages of support for Askren and his family.
UFC shares a heartfelt video wishing Ben Askren well as he battles serious health issues ❤️🙏 #UFCAtlanta
🎥: @dc_mmapic.twitter.com/510adX4Kgy
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 15, 2025
Wanted to send positive thoughts to Ben Askren, who is currently hospitalized battling serious health issues. Askren developed pneumonia very recently, according to his wife, in addition to other serious illnesses. He’s battling right now.
Hang in there, @Benaskren. You got…
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 8, 2025
“Thank you for every message and all of the support,” Amy Askren also wrote. “Despite this awful situation, I’m feeling so blessed by the community we’re surrounded by. Give your loved ones a hug today and make sure you’re prepared situations like this. Ben is the healthiest guy I know and I never could have expected this.”
Askren is a two-time WIAA state champion wrestler at Arrowhead and a two-time national champion at the University of Missouri. He was a member of the 2008 Olympic wrestling team and finished his MMA career with a 19-2 record. He and Amy are the parents of three children.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wife of Ben Askren says he may need lung transplant