A prominent figure from the popular yachting reality television series Below Deck opened up about how his vaping habit led to a serious medical emergency.
Fraser Olender, aged 33, took to Instagram to inform his followers that he experienced a heart attack as a result of his e-cigarette usage. He also highlighted the critical symptoms that indicated something was amiss.
The ‘Chief Stew’ from the show posted: “A few weeks ago I was rushed to hospital due to severe chest pains and difficulties breathing.”
Olender, a staple in at least four seasons of Bravo’s Below Deck, continued: “Following this, I spent a week in London hospitals seeing specialists to identify the cause and possible damage of the incident.
“To keep it simple – I had vape poisoning, (an E-cigarette or Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI)) and I have never experienced fear or pain like it.”
Olender became part of the hit Bravo series in 2021, initially serving as a second steward before advancing to the chief steward position over the next three seasons.
After four years of delivering exceptional service to the affluent while sailing globally, Olender unexpectedly found himself hospitalized due to an unrelated health issue.
He recounted the heart attack, describing the ‘fear or pain’ he experienced as unparalleled.
Besides detailing his initial symptoms of chest discomfort and breathing challenges, he shared insights from medical professionals regarding his heart attack.
“Whatever was in my vape caused me to have a coronary artery vasospasm,” he explained. “Medically, that means the arteries supplying blood to my heart suddenly clamped down.”
This ‘vasospasm’ resulted in a heart attack, as it “reduced blood flow enough to cause an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), better known as a heart attack – not because of a blockage, but because my heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen during the spasm.”
The reality star elaborated on his reason for sharing this personal experience: “If this experience can help even one person rethink vaping, it’s worth telling.”