Urgent Warning from Kentucky Mom After Son’s Lung Collapses Due to Vaping

A mother from Kentucky is sounding the alarm following her son’s dual battles with collapsed lungs, which she believes stemmed from vaping.

Seventeen-year-old Cameron Vann, known as Dodge, picked up vaping two years ago, initially to fit in with his peers at school, all while keeping it under wraps from his mother, Crystal Vann.

Everything changed in September 2025 when Dodge exited the school bus looking unusually pale and complaining of back pain. Crystal quickly took him to the emergency room, where doctors performed a chest x-ray.

The results were alarming: 50% of his left lung had collapsed, medically referred to as a pneumothorax. This condition occurs when air leaks into the chest cavity, increasing pressure. It was serious enough that doctors had to place an 18-inch tube in his chest to remove excess air and allow his lung to re-inflate. Yet, even after this incident, Dodge continued vaping without his mother’s knowledge.

Fast forward to January 2026—Dodge called Crystal, gasping for breath and in severe pain. “He said, ‘I’m hurting, but I don’t know if it’s my lung or not.’ We headed straight to the ER,” she recounted. The doctors warned her that he could have died while waiting.

Unfortunately, Dodge’s lung had collapsed again, requiring a more severe surgery known as pleurodesis. In this procedure, doctors scraped the lining of his lung and stapled fluid-filled blisters, or blebs, to the upper part of his lung. They then managed to reattach it to the chest wall.

Crystal reflected on the experience, saying, “It was horrible. I thought, ‘Why him?’ I feared he was going to die.” She expressed her disapproval of vaping, noting how it started when Dodge’s friends tried it first.

Statistics reveal that about 6% of adults in the U.S.—roughly 17 million—vape regularly. This habit is particularly prevalent among young adults aged 18 to 24, where over 15% are regular users, according to CDC data from 2024. Though vaping was once considered a safer alternative to smoking, it’s been increasingly linked to long-term health issues such as high blood pressure and stroke.

Dodge eventually quit vaping “cold turkey” after his second lung collapse, but he still experiences residual pain, which worsens with simple actions like getting dressed or talking.

He shared his struggles: “After the surgery the nerves are dead. Even putting on a shirt feels awful. I get stabbing pains in my side and can’t go to school.” He’s haunted by nightmares about vaping, vowing never to touch it again.

A GoFundMe page has been established to help cover Dodge’s medical expenses. Crystal expressed her anguish as a mom, saying, “It’s incredibly hard to watch him in pain. He’s been so brave but is clearly scared, often wondering if his lung might collapse again while he sleeps.”

Now, she actively encourages other young people to avoid vaping and advocates for stricter regulations on its sale. “I say ban all vapes,” she emphasized. “I don’t want another kid going through this. Don’t do it just to be cool.”