© Matthew O'Haren/Imagn
After a difficult regular season, Iowa Hawkeyes wrestler Ben Kueter put it all together at the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland to earn All-American honors yet again, taking sixth after finishing eighth in Philadelphia a year ago.
However, the uphill battle was only just beginning for the redshirt junior, who joined the Hawkeyes as an elite wrestling recruit as well as a four-star football recruit out of Iowa City High School, according to 247Sports.
Following the NCAA Tournament, Kueter had surgery to repair an undisclosed injury, and following the surgery, things got very scary for him and his family.
Iowa’s Ben Kueter Stopped Breathing After Routine Surgery
Kueter’s mom, Tina, took to Facebook recently to share the story of her son’s perseverance throughout the wrestling season. But she also shared the story of what happened after, including a moment where they feared he could lose his life.
Tina Kueter on Facebook
“This season wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t easy. It was full of ups and downs, setbacks, and moments that would’ve broken a lot of people. But he kept fighting. He kept showing up. He kept choosing to push forward when most would’ve quit,” she said before a change in tone.
“And then this week…After surgery, he scared the life out of us. He stopped breathing. His heart rate dropped,” Kueter wrote. “But he did what he always does — he fought back. He pushed through with minimal pain meds. He stayed calm. He stayed tough. And today, we’re walking out of this hospital and making it to his banquet.”
Thankfully, it sounds like Kueter pulled out of whatever caused him to stop breathing relatively quickly. But it’s an understandably terrifying moment for his family.
Kueter stepped away from football in 2025 to focus on wrestling. The result was his best finish yet at the NCAA Tournament as a redshirt sophomore. Initially, he sounded as if he intended to return to the gridiron.
But now, Kueter may enter the 2026-27 season as the No. 1-ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation, giving him quite the decision to make. Either way, we’re just happy to see him healthy and out of the hospital, as are his friends and family.