A 22-year-old vape addict who was given just a one per cent chance of survival by doctors has undergone a double lung transplant in a bid to save his life.
Family and friends of Jackson Allard, from North Dakota, have told how his life changed 'overnight' following the prolonged use of e-cigarettes.
The youngster was initially admitted to the University of Minnesota after experiencing problems with his stomach and low oxygen levels in October last year, before his condition took a turn for the worse.
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Tests found that Jackson had influenza 4 and pneumonia, which had taken a huge toll on his lungs and breathing ability.
Doctors were forced to intubate the young man in the hopes of giving his body and his chest the best chance to heal, before it was later decided that a double lung transplant would give him the best chance of survival.
His grandmother, Doreen Hurlburt, explained that his family had been begging him to ditch his vaping habit.
She said: "You have to stop vaping, and we kept telling him that over and over and over again, and he was a heavy vaper. "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 five years, if you vape they will see you with permanent lung damage."
She continued: "At one point, a doctor said he had a 1 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.'
"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."
Doreen has teamed up with family friend Angela Dows to launch a GoFundMe to provide 'extra support' to Jackson throughout his recovery as well as aiding his parents with costs as they remain by his bedside.
While detailing his condition in a post on the fundraiser, they revealed the heartbreaking final words that the 22-year-old uttered before he was intubated in hospital.
Intubation refers to the process where a breathing tube is inserted to take the pressure off of the patient's lungs. It keeps the airway open so that air can get into the lungs.
Jackson's family revealed the last thing he said to them, which was: "I am scared, I don’t want to be alone."
The post continued: "He has not been alone. By his side is his mother Jaime, grandmother Doreen and/or his father Ryan. "Someone is always there and will be until he is ready to come home. Because we are holding on strong to hope he will make it home."
In the aftermath of his operation, Jackson will be staying in Minneapolis for at least six months to receive regular check-ups. Currently, it looks like Allard will never be able to drink alcohol or smoke again in his life.
It's also likely that he'll need another transplant at some point in his life.
If you'd like to donate to the GoFundMe, click here.
Olivia Burke