Reality television star Fraser Olender has issued a stark health warning after revealing he suffered a heart attack at the age of 33, which he directly attributes to vaping.
A Terrifying Health Scare
The Below Deck personality, who joined the popular Bravo series in 2021, took to his Instagram page on Friday to share candid details of the recent incident that saw him rushed to hospital with severe chest pains and breathing difficulties. He spent a subsequent week in London hospitals undergoing specialist tests to determine the cause and extent of the damage.
Olender disclosed that doctors diagnosed him with 'vape poisoning'. He described the ordeal as the most intense fear and pain he has ever experienced, stating that the substances in his vape triggered a coronary artery vasospasm. This condition causes the arteries supplying blood to the heart to suddenly constrict.
The Medical Reality of a 'Vape-Induced' Heart Attack
The reality star explained that this spasm was severe enough to cause a specific type of cardiac event. 'It reduced blood flow enough to cause an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), better known as a heart attack,' he wrote. He clarified that this was not due to a physical blockage but because his heart was starved of oxygen during the arterial spasm.
Olender recounted the extreme pain, revealing that even powerful painkillers provided little relief. 'Two rounds of morphine didn’t touch the sides,' he shared, explaining that he eventually needed the strongest pain relief legally permissible in an ER, which only reduced his agony from a '10 to a 7'.
A Lifelong Pledge and Unexpected Benefits
Now in recovery, the TV personality expressed profound gratitude but also shock that such a serious event could happen to someone his age. He has vowed to never vape again, a promise he has already kept for nearly three weeks. 'If this experience can help even one person rethink vaping, it's worth telling,' he urged his followers, adding emotionally, 'I could have died for the sake of something so ridiculously stupid.'
In a lighter note, Olender reported an unexpected positive side effect of quitting. 'My skin has never been better, brighter and clearer,' he concluded, suggesting a direct correlation and calling it the 'BEST skincare hack out there'.
The health scare first emerged last month, forcing Olender to miss parts of BravoCon 2025 in Las Vegas after he experienced breathing trouble and chest tightness. He later travelled to London for specialist care. During his hospital stay, he was supported by his partner, actor and comedian Matt Rogers, whom he publicly confirmed a relationship with in November.
