Ben Askren
“Ben is the healthiest guy I know, and I never could have expected this..”
The community of 40-year-old Ben Askren, an amateur wrestler and MMA champion, is coming together at a time of overwhelming need through a fundraising campaign with the trusted national nonprofit Help Hope Live.
As his wife, Amy, has shared on social media, Ben is hospitalized awaiting a lung transplant as he fights a sudden and life-threatening battle with severe pneumonia. The medical crisis comes on the heels of a highly anticipated comeback for Ben with training sessions and lots of positive momentum.
Ben is able to open his eyes and squeeze Amy’s hands as they await a miracle.
On the road to transplant, Ben and his family could face tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands in out-of-pocket transplant-related expenses. That’s why they have started fundraising at helphopelive.org.
Because they are working with the national nonprofit Help Hope Live, donations will be tax deductible for donors.
Help Hope Live administers all funds raised and has verified Ben’s medical diagnosis for complete donor confidence. Funds raised can only be used for verified transplant-related expenses. The nonprofit will also provide Ben’s family with one-on-one medical fundraising assistance at no charge to them.
As ESPN reported, following his MMA retirement in 2019, Ben ran a wrestling academy in his hometown. He is an NCAA Division I wrestling champ, and he was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team.
With Ben’s deep love for his wife, his 3 children, and his community, Amy believes that the gift of new life through a lung transplant would be going to someone who would never take it for granted:
“No one would take better care of that gift than Ben.”
Follow his family’s story by subscribing to Ben’s Campaign Page at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/25865/
