ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The parents of a 28-year-old man who are convinced that vaping killed their son want to warn others about the dangers of using the drug.

  • Kyle Boyd died Friday, several days after being found in his room
  • His father, Donald, says Boyd vaped heavily after recent divorce
  • Family is convinced vaping diminished lung capacity, killed him

Kyle Boyd of Orange County was found in his room last Tuesday morning, a vape pen next to him. He died several days later at an east Orange County hospital.

Hospital staff who treated Boyd said vaping "likely contributed to the passing," a Medical Examiner's report says.

Boyd's father, Donald, said his son was an active, loving man who helped others recover from drug addiction after facing his own challenges during college.

"I got a few messages on Facebook (from) who he helped get into rehab, and they were like, ‘Without Kyle, I would have never survived this,’” Donald Boyd said.

Boyd's lung X-rays showed severe lung damage, he said, and Boyd vaped heavily after a recent divorce.

“He found that vaping more was a better alternative than falling back into substance abuse… because you can buy this over the counter at any convenience store. We all think that’s okay," he said.

Donald Boyd is convinced that vaping is what killed his son.

"He didn’t die from just normal cause. He died because he thought vaping was safe. He did it to a point where it diminished his lung capacity," Donald Boyd said. "He went to bed and he struggled to breathe, and it forced him into a cardiac situation with aspiration and eventually led to a situation of him being declared brain-dead."

The District Nine Medical Examiner's report does not list vaping as being related to Kyle Boyd's cause of death. But there were no other chemicals found in his body from the toxicology report.

Donald Boyd said his son did not use the black market modified vaping pens that contain THC as seen in other cases. His parents have had a lung autopsy done on their son, which was sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They're waiting for those results.

Instead of flowers, the family is asking for donations to an organization who helps people with addictions, like the charity Matthew’s Hope