JOSH SAUNDERS
11 September 2019
DAILYMAIL.COM
Elijah McClure, 21, was hospitalized for vaping-related lung injuries on Aug 30
He has suffered lung failure and is on a ventilator and can barely drink or eat
Parents Sedric and Tami didn’t know he still used it after scolding him for it at 15
Prior to being taken in he suffered nausea, body aches and other cold symptoms
The former football player, of Brooklyn Park, MN, was thought to be healthy
Since August six American vape users have died as officials urge ‘stop now’
A Minnesota student has been hospitalized with vaping-related lung injuries that left him on a ventilator and barely able to eat or drink – as sixth American e-cigarette user was announced.
Elijah McClure, 21, of Brooklyn Park, has been on mechanical breathing apparatus for 11 days so far, after his nausea and sickness developed into lung failure.
He was initially prescribed antibiotics for body aches, fever and cold symptoms when he fell sick on his way back from a state fair on August 22.
But over a week later while under observation he was rushed into ICU to be put on a ventilator, his father Sedric told Kare11.
Sedric, who hasn’t heard his son’s voice in a week, described the damaged as ‘absolutely devastating’ and now wants to warn others about the potential harm of e-cigarettes.
He is believed to have suffered lung injuries related to vaping, which have left him in hospital since August 30. McClure was believed to be fit and healthy prior to the downfall of his health
He said: ‘The violent retching with the dry heaving and vomiting, the pain that he was going through really shook me to my core.
‘You go to text something and you just lose it because you’re typing and saying that he’s on a respirator.’
The family revealed their son started using e-cigarettes at the age of 15 and thought he had stopped after they verbally scolded him for it.
It was not clear whether he was using liquids that included just nicotine or THC too they explained, after finding his lemonade flavored cartridges.
McClure kept the habit secret from his parents after they urged him to stop, he told mother Tami that he tried but couldn’t quit.
He has remained in hospital since August 30 for the e-cigarette related injures and has vowed never to vape again.
Tami said: ‘To see him all hooked up on those tubes and not being able to respond I wouldn’t want anybody having to go through that.’
While it is too early to determine whether vaping caused respiratory failure for Elijah, he is suffering similar symptoms to more than 450 people in 33 states and the US Virgin Islands.
On Monday a sixth person was announced to have died due to problems associated to e-cigarettes since August.
The unnamed woman was from Kansas, over 50 and was suffering with other health problems.
Other deaths have occurred in California, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon.
Last week, Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles county public health director, urged people ‘Stop vaping now.’
‘Today we’re issuing a warning to all residents about the use of these devices as potentially harmful to proper lung function,’ she added.
McClure is one of 32 Minnesotans with suspected injuries related to the device, according to the Star Tribune.
The 21-year-old was believed to be perfectly fit prior to the hospitalization.
He initially attended North Dakota State University where he played football but later transferred to Augsburg University to switch studies from social work to business.
Recently doctors have lowered his sedative, leaving more alert and able to write messages to his parents.
They have also reduced the oxygen saturation levels in the ventilator, suggesting that he may be recovering, according to the site.
Sedric told Kare11: ‘As a parent all I can hope is that you survive your mistake we are all going to make them but the point is can you survive them, can you learn from them and what can we take from this.’
In a Facebook post earlier this month Sedric wrote: ‘What is most disturbing about vaping is that it has been presented as a safe alternative to tobacco cigarettes, that’s bulls***.
‘Perhaps e-cigarettes are more harmful than regular ones.
‘Our hope is this situation will leave him without long-term health impacts.’
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