Where is Ben Bliek Now? Update on the Survivor

It was on the evening of December 23, 2023, when two teenagers were shot right in the head by a friend with no provocation, leaving the entire community of Friendstown, Texas, utterly baffled. CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Rx Defense’ explores not only the actions of 17-year-old Connor Lynn Hilton but also all the legal and personal aftermath. The latter aspect focuses most on the road to recovery for the survivor. Out of the two victims, while 18-year-old Ethan Riley sadly died from his wounds, 19-year-old Ben Bliek miraculously survived.

Ben Bliek Has No Recollection of the Day of the Shooting

Born in 2004 as the apple of his parents’ eyes, Benjamin “Ben” Bliek reportedly grew up in an affectionate, loving, and supportive household, which fostered a magnetic, unique charm. Therefore, by late 2023, the 19-year-old was a high school graduate who unhesitatingly embraced his diverse passions, including card games, fishing, hunting, and sports. The baseball and basketball athlete also had an incredibly tight-knit group of friends he spent most of his time with, but the one he was always closest to was his longtime best friend, Ethan Riley.

While Ben doesn’t remember the events of December 23, 2023, according to records, he had been invited to his friend Connor Hilton’s home that evening for a casual hangout alongside others. It was a normal get-together, that is, until the host suddenly shot him and Ethan right in the head without any provocation before walking away, as per court documents. Another friend immediately dialed 911, following which the two victims were rushed to a nearby medical center. Unfortunately, the 18-year-old had passed away, whereas the 19-year-old was critically injured.

Determined to Get His Life Back, Ben Bliek is Slowly Yet Surely Making a Recovery

Since Ben was shot in the head, he had to have emergency surgery that required the neurosurgeon to open both brain flaps so as to alleviate the pressure and swelling, as well as fix the wound. The teenager was still paralyzed on the right side, could barely sit, and had to use hand signals to communicate because it was really difficult for him to talk, eat, or use his mouth in any capacity. Thus, he remained in the intensive care unit for over three weeks before his doctors decided to move him to TIRR Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center as a long-term inpatient for rehabilitation.

There were a lot of concerns about Ben’s health, but he showed improvement within weeks as he worked hard to regain muscle strength, enabling him to gradually relearn how to swallow, talk, move, and ultimately walk. According to his own accounts, since he had no recollection of the fateful night, his loved ones chose to protect him from the truth so that he could focus purely on getting better. However, after a few months, he saw an article about what had transpired on his mother’s phone. According to reports, the truth that it was someone he considered a friend who broke his world and killed his best friend left him furious. Instead of letting the anger, grief, and pain take over him, though, he somehow found a way to transform them into further determination to gain his life back.

Hence, it comes as no surprise that the resilient 21-year-old even gave a victim impact statement after Connor pleaded guilty to his crimes in September 2025. Ben kept it short yet clear, conveying his rage with every word, starting with, “First of all, stop sniveling. Stop crying. You did this to yourself.” He then said, in part, “The grief you have caused the Rileys and my own family, I will never forgive you.” Since then, Ben has continued to focus on his recovery by making the most of rehab facilities (now as an outpatient), relying on his loved ones’ support, and engaging in pickleball. The latter, in particular, has helped him regain his strength, along with activities like fishing, playing card games, and casual hangouts with friends. The Friendstown, Texas, native still struggles with his speech and movement, but he’s getting better every day.

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