Former UFC star Ben Askren shared an emotional video update from his hospital bed after undergoing a life-saving double lung transplant, revealing he ‘died four times’ during his medical crisis. The 40-year-old fighter contracted severe pneumonia following a staph infection, leading to emergency hospitalization on June 7 where he was placed on a ventilator. Askren disclosed he has no memory of events between May 28 and July 2, learning details of his near-fatal ordeal through his wife’s journal. He expressed profound gratitude for the overwhelming support from the wrestling community during his hospitalization, which he described as ‘having my own funeral.’ Askren and his family are currently fundraising to cover transplant costs exceeding $300,000 as he continues recovery.