22-year-old vape addict’s heartbreaking final words with family
A 22-year-old vape addict has been forced to undergo a double lung transplant to save his life.
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A vape addict has been forced to undergo a double lung transplant to his life, with doctors at one point giving him just 1 per cent chance of survival.
Jackson Allard, a 22-year-old from North Dakota, has suffered massive health impacts following his prolonged use of e-cigarettes.
Mr Allard’s medical tests confirmed the devastating impact of the rare influenza 4 and pneumonia on his lungs and respiratory capacity.
Doctors, faced with no alternative, had to intubate him, hoping to provide his body the best chance to heal. Eventually, a decision was made for a double lung transplant, offering a slim but crucial opportunity for survival.
Speaking to Valley News Live, Jackson’s grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt, expressed how the family had made desperate pleas for him to quit vaping.
Despite their efforts, he continued the habit, believing it was a better alternative to traditional cigarettes.
“You have to stop vaping, and we kept telling him that over and over and over again, and he was a heavy vaper,” Ms Hurlburt told the outlet.
“He vaped all the time, but he said, ‘It’s better than cigarettes.’ Well they said, with cigarettes in 50 years you’ll have lung cancer, in 5 years, if you vape they will see you with permanent lung damage,”
However, a doctor recently delivered the harrowing prognosis. Undeterred, his family chose to support his fight, rejecting any notion of stopping medical procedures.
After being admitted into the hospital, Mr Allard’s condition declined dramatically.
Doctors soon made the call to put him on life support to rest his body, according to the Wahpeton Daily News.
It comes as Australia moves to overhaul vaping laws, forcing millions to obtain GP prescriptions for nicotine vapes.
The Health Department predicts nearly 450,000 people seek prescriptions annually, resulting in almost one million additional doctor visits.
Effective January 1, the total import ban on non-therapeutic and disposable single-use vapes allows only doctor-prescribed pharmaceutical vapes into the country.
The estimated yearly cost of these reforms, including doctor visits and vaping products, could reach up to $119.6 million.
Health Minister Mark Butler defended these changes, emphasising their protective role, particularly for young Australians, against vaping harms and nicotine dependence.
Despite the intention to curb vaping rates, concerns loom about potential growth in the black market for nicotine vapes, currently valued at over $400 million annually.
As per the Health Department, the government’s success hinges on increased prescriptions and reduced vaping rates among the youth by mid-2026.
The huge impact of vapes on the health of people has been documented around the world.
Recalling the challenging journey to KVLY-TV, Doreen “thought for sure we were going to lose him. I thought for sure he’s not going to survive this, but in my mind, I kept picturing him coming home.“
To aid Jackson’s recovery and assist his parents with the mounting costs, Doreen and family friend Angela Dows launched a GoFundMe campaign. The fundraiser aims to provide additional support during his recovery period.
In a poignant revelation on the fundraiser page, the family shared Jackson’s heartbreaking final words before being intubated: “I am scared; I don’t want to be alone.”
His family ensured he was never alone, with his mother Jaime, grandmother Doreen, and father Ryan standing by his side.
As Jackson embarks on a challenging recovery journey, he will stay in Minneapolis for at least six months for regular check-ups.
The aftermath of the transplant means Jackson will face lifestyle changes, including abstaining from alcohol and tobacco.
The likelihood of another transplant in his future adds to the uncertainty of his path ahead.
–with the New York Post.
Originally published as 22-year-old vape addict’s heartbreaking final words with family
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