Vaping has become a habit embraced by many people of different ages, but it has become particularly widespread among teenagers.

Here’s what happened in this alarming case.

At the age of 14, LeeRay King from New Zealand began using disposable vapes. His use quickly became frequent, and by 16, he was vaping heavily every day.

Reflecting on his experience, LeeRay admitted, “I got kind of peer pressured into vaping.”

“At first, I didn’t enjoy it, but I became addicted within the first week. From ages 14 to 16, I vaped constantly. I would go through about four disposable vapes a week and vape all day, every day,” he said.

In August 2024, LeeRay was hospitalized due to severe pain on the left side of his body. This incident revealed the serious damage vaping had caused to his lungs.

Medical tests indicated he had a pneumothorax, a condition where air escapes into the space between the lungs and the chest wall, causing the lung to collapse.

Over the next few months, LeeRay’s lung collapsed four times, leading surgeons to attempt a pleurodesis—a procedure that creates a strong bond between the lung and chest wall to prevent fluid accumulation.

Unfortunately, that procedure failed, and LeeRay had to undergo a pleurectomy, which removes the lining of the chest.

Subsequently, doctors removed the damaged portion of his lung. The removed tissue was shriveled and blackened, and images of it shocked those who saw them.

LeeRay’s mother, Kylee Jope, described the moment: “When we saw it, LeeRay pulled it out, and we were both like, ‘oh my god.’ It was the damaged part of his lung. We’re actually planning to bury it at home as a native tree. We were stunned.”

She added, “I never imagined vaping could cause this. They advertise it as a way to quit smoking, but it’s basically harming your body on purpose. Watching my son go through this was terrifying.”

Now, both LeeRay and his mother are determined to warn others about vaping’s risks.

“I even spoke at a local primary school. I don’t want anyone else to experience what I did. No young person should go through this kind of pain. I would tell anyone: don’t do it,” LeeRay said.

He confirmed he will never vape again: “I’ll never touch a vape again,” he stated.