Help Beloved Artist, Teacher, and Husband Benjamin Hummel Through His Third Life-Saving Liver Transplant

At 49 years old, Benjamin Hummel—beloved husband of 23 years, gifted illustrator, fine artist, teacher, mentor, and friend—is facing a challenge he prayed he would never face again. His liver is failing, and he now needs a third liver transplant to survive.

This is not the first time Benjamin has stared down the impossible.

And it is not the first time he will fight with everything he has.

A Lifetime of Medical Battles

Benjamin’s story began with hardship. Born with a rare and aggressive autoimmune disorder later diagnosed as IBD-PSC, he spent much of his childhood in hospital rooms instead of playgrounds. By age six, he had already endured hundreds of procedures.

At fifteen, he underwent two liver transplants back-to-back.

The first transplant failed almost immediately, and before he had time to recover, he was rushed into a second life-saving surgery. These were the early days of transplant medicine, and Benjamin became one of the first children in the 1990s to undergo these groundbreaking operations.

Those transplants gave him the gift of adulthood—years of marriage, mentorship, creativity, and joy. But they also left a deep understanding of how dangerous and grueling transplant life truly is.

Now, more than 30 years later, the second liver—the one that saved his teenage life—is failing. His doctors have confirmed that another transplant is his only chance of survival.

Benjamin is apprehensive. His doctors are apprehensive. They all know what this fight entails. But he is ready to face it—he just shouldn’t have to face it alone.

An Artist Who Has Filled the World with Beauty

Benjamin discovered early that art could do what medicine could not:

bring healing, hope, and joy.

His work—whimsical children’s book illustrations, expressive fine art, detailed instructional drawings, and heartfelt animations—reflects the things he treasures most:

His pieces have appeared in galleries, gift shops, and events across Colorado. His illustration work has brought countless stories to life in children’s books, YA novels, magazines, textbooks, and interactive media. His portfolio of charming, heartfelt work lives at Hummel Illustrations and Painting for Life .

Benjamin has given the world so much beauty. Now he needs time—and help—to keep creating it.

A Mentor to Generations of Artists

Benjamin’s passion extends to teaching art as well. Through the years he has mentored hundreds of budding artists. Those who learn from him describe him as patient, brilliant, encouraging, and deeply invested in their success.

He is also the author of instructional books that help artists all over the world grow and refine their skills. His first book, on drawing folds, is already a favorite among students and professionals alike.

A Life Marked by Faith, Courage, and “Supernatural Joy”

Benjamin’s life has never been easy. Treatments work for a time… until they don’t. New complications arise. More therapies are tried. And yet, through everything, he chooses to live with what he calls “Supernatural Joy.”

His faith in Christ steadies him through the fear and uncertainty.

Even in difficult moments, Benjamin uses his gift to bring comfort to others. On Instagram (@hummelillustration), under the hashtag #autoimmunediseasessuck, he shares honest, humorous, and heartfelt illustrations that give a voice to those living with chronic illness. His courage has quietly inspired people he has never even met.

Benjamin does not inspire because his life is painless— he inspires because he creates beauty in the midst of suffering.

Now, Benjamin Needs Us More Than Ever

Facing a third transplant is emotionally overwhelming for Benjamin and his doctors. He knows the risks. He remembers the trauma of his teenage surgeries.

The last thing he should be worrying about right now is how to pay for it. The costs surrounding transplant care are enormous:

Benjamin has worked tirelessly to support himself through his art—every print, book, painting, and product he sells helps offset medical costs. But this time, the burden is too great for him and his family to carry.

He needs his community—friends, family, former students, art collectors, and the kindness of strangers—to help lift what he cannot.

How You Can Help

Your support—whether through a donation, sharing his campaign, or spreading his story—directly impacts Benjamin’s ability to focus on one thing: surviving this surgery and healing afterward.

Benjamin has already overcome the impossible twice. With the love, generosity, and prayers of those around him, we believe he can do it again.

Thank you for helping give him the chance to continue teaching, creating, inspiring, and living a life filled with joy.

Thank you for supporting Benjamin Hummel.

Your kindness gives him hope—and a future.