A 16-year-old girl has revealed how she got hooked on nicotine vapes—and ended up just hours from dying after only a week of use.
Isabella Troncao began using legal cannabis vapes at age 15, but things spiraled when a new boyfriend introduced her to nicotine versions.
Eager to impress him, she vaped constantly in social settings—even though it left her throat feeling like it was on fire.
Within days, her health collapsed. She described the feeling as if a “50-pound weight was crushing” the left side of her chest, saying she was in “intense pain” and couldn’t “breathe properly.”
When she became too weak to “walk to the bathroom” or “stay awake,” her mother and brother rushed her to St Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, Nevada.
After arriving at the hospital, Isabella was reportedly diagnosed with a rare condition known as Lemierre’s Syndrome.
According to Healthline, Lemierre’s Syndrome develops when a specific, uncommon bacterial infection forms in the throat.
“If left untreated,” the site explains, “the bacteria can spread into the lymphatic vessels throughout the body, potentially leading to severe or even fatal complications.”
Isabella recalled that when she got to the hospital, doctors told her she was just “a few hours from dying” as her organs were beginning to fail from being in “septic shock.”
Surgeons quickly operated, draining a full litre of fluid from one of her lungs in an emergency procedure.
She later shared that doctors believed vaping had played a role in allowing harmful bacteria to build up—especially in the back of her throat.
The terrifying health scare took place in October 2023, and Isabella has since opened up about the experience and how close she came to dying.
Isabella shared: “No one should be vaping—it puts real pressure on your lungs, and it’s making so many people seriously ill.”
Her mother added: “We all make bad choices sometimes, but these vapes are being pushed with sweet flavors and flashy designs—they’re even more dangerous than cigarettes.”
Reflecting on her recovery, Isabella said: “I truly believe it was a sign from God that I’m still here for a purpose. It’s wild to think how close I came to missing everything.”
“It honestly feels like I’ve been given a second shot at life,” she said.
