After a lengthy 59-day journey, former wrestling champion and MMA star Ben Askren has finally returned home, accompanied by his wife Amy. In an emotional video shared on social media, Askren revealed the severity of his health battle that left him with no memory of 35 days during his hospitalization.
“I’m out with my beautiful, supportive wife,” Askren said in the video. “That was a long journey, and it’s not over because I still can’t really walk. I need to re-teach myself to do that among many other things.”
When asked how close he came to losing his life, his wife Amy soberly responded, “Too close, a few times.”
The former Olympian underwent surgery approximately 24-25 days ago, marking a critical point in his recovery. While Askren maintains a positive attitude, the road to full recovery remains challenging as he faces the prospect of learning to walk again.
Throughout his ordeal, Askren expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from fans, friends, and the combat sports community.
“The support you guys gave me, whether it was sending to a GoFundMe, whether it was helping my kids and wife get through it… I had friends come from all over the country just to hang out for a couple days,” Askren shared. “It meant so much. It was so great to just have all the support and all the love.”
With his voice breaking with emotion toward the end of the video, Askren continued, “Hopefully I’m not in this situation again for a really, really, really long time. I plan on living a while. So thank you guys again. All the positives, all the comments online—everything means so much.”
The outpouring of support for Askren extended beyond fans to include industry figures. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed he personally contributed to Askren’s medical fundraiser, telling reporters, “We reached out to his wife as soon as we heard and told her if there’s anything you need… and yes, I did.”
Even former rival Jorge Masvidal set aside past differences to offer encouragement, saying in a social media post, “This goes out to the one and only Ben Askren. What’s up, my brother? I know we were rivals in the ring. I just want to say, God bless you.”
As Askren begins this new chapter of recovery at home, his determination and the continued support from the community will undoubtedly play crucial roles in his journey back to health.
