Vaping leads to double lung transplant for 22-year-old

FARGO, N.D. (KVLY/Gray News) – A 22-year-old man is recovering after receiving a double lung transplant on Jan. 1.

Jackson Allard initially went to the hospital in October with complaints of a stomachache. After weeks without improvement, Allard’s condition was so severe, that doctors said he needed a transplant.

“At one point a doctor said he had a 1% chance of living,” Allard’s grandma, Doreen Hurlburt said.

Hulburt said she tried to get her grandson to stop vaping, explaining he vaped all the time. She said he argued it was better than cigarettes and continued to be a heavy vaper.

“Vaping or e-cigarette use is relatively new, so we don’t necessarily know a lot of the long-term effects of vaping and that’s honestly one of the scariest things about it,” said Dr. Stephanie Hanson of Stanford University.

Allard has been fighting for his life for the last three months. At one point, his heart even stopped beating.

“I 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,” Hulbert said.

Now that he’s had a double lung transplant, Allard is on the long road to recovery.

“His life will totally be different because of that,” Hulbert said.

Allard can never drink alcohol or smoke ever again and will need another transplant sometime down the road.

“He said, he just wants to make sure other people don’t do what he did, vape, and end up having to go through what he went through,” Hulbert said.

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