Fargo man’s life hangs in the balance as vaping takes a devastating toll

A 22-year-old man from Fargo, Jackson Allard, is clinging to life with just a one percent chance of survival after succumbing to a severe addiction to vaping, according to his distressed family.

Initially admitted to the hospital in October complaining of stomach pains, Jackson’s condition rapidly deteriorated as doctors grappled to diagnose his mysterious ailment. Initially attributed to Influenza 4 and double pneumonia, his health took a drastic turn for the worse.

The young man had turned to vaping under the impression that it was a safer alternative to smoking. Despite being FDA-approved in the US, the long-term effects of e-cigarettes remain uncertain, prompting concerns from medical experts.

Dr. Stephanie Hanson from Stanford University explained, “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.”

While the World Health Organization has imposed restrictions on e-cigarette use in enclosed workplaces across the US, these products remain accessible to anyone over 21, raising questions about the potential risks.

Facing a dire prognosis, Jackson Allard underwent a double lung transplant at the University of Minnesota Medical Center on January 1, as doctors deemed it his only chance at survival.

His grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt, emotionally shared, “At one point, a doctor said he had a one percent chance of living, and we said, ‘He’s fighting, he’s fought for how many weeks; we’re going to give him a chance to fight. We’re not going to stop any procedures or anything.'”

Despite spending three challenging months in the hospital, where his heart even momentarily stopped beating, Jackson is now on the path to recovery. However, his journey to health demands an extended stay in Minneapolis for regular check-ups over the next six months.

His family disclosed that Jackson, a heavy smoker in the past, faces a drastically altered future, being prohibited from smoking or drinking alcohol ever again. Another lung transplant looms on the horizon.

Doreen conveyed Jackson’s determination to prevent others from following his path, stating, “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.