By Mallory Mattingly
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren turned to Christianity after he was diagnosed with a severe case of pneumonia, which ultimately led to a double lung transplant.
In an interview with FloWrestling, Askren explained why he decided to follow Christ after he woke up from a coma.
“There was multiple times where they thought I was dead. Like I was dead, that’s the other side,” he said. “I woke up, and I just decided I was a Christian. So, that’s crazy.”
Askren attended church with his wife for nearly 15 years, but he never accepted Christ as his savior.
“I went with my wife to church for 15 years because that was part of the deal. I said, ‘Well, I’m not Christian, but I’ll support you.’ And it was really weird when I woke up, I’m like, ‘I gotta do it.’ You know? So, that was kind of weird,” he shared. “[I have] so much gratitude for everyone who’s helped out. So many people have donated money, watched our kids, donated food, a lot of friends come and hang out with me – just so much gratitude for being around me.”
Fox News reported that Askren went into the hospital in May for what he thought was back pain. But he was put on a ventilator the next month, and by June 24, he was on the donor list for a lung transplant.
He’s been sharing updates on his recovery following the successful surgery and praised his wife for her love and support.
“My wife has been generally amazing during the entirety of our marriage, but the last 2.5 months she has been out of this world taking care of our kids and me,” he wrote.
While he could be disappointed and depressed because of the restrictions he now has, he’s looking on the bright side.
“It’s like the other option is I die. I’m grateful for the opportunity to live and be here still,” the former UFC fighter replied.
Related: ‘Without Him, I’m Nothing’: UFC Fighter Declares Christ’s Power in His Life
As Askren made his way home from the hospital, he was gifted a refinished garage, allowing him to start building an at-home rehabilitation center.
“Greg and LuAnn Beebe of @excel_concrete_coatings gave @benaskren the most generous birthday gift, surprising him with an awesome garage floor coating to start off a new rehab gym for him to get back on his feet,” Amy Askren, Ben’s wife, shared in a post on Instagram. “I always wanted to surprise Ben with a refinished garage, but with everything going on this summer, that wasn’t an option. Excel stepped up and did this as a gift for Ben coming home 🥹.”
While Askren has a long way to go before he’s back to 100% health, he now looks to God as his source of strength.
Read Next: UFC Fighter ‘Excited’ to Raise Son, ‘Serve Christ’ After Loss
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +2