Walker McKnight: Florida mom's grave warning about vaping after son's death

WINTER PARK, Fla. - A Florida mom has a message for teens and the parents of teens who vape: do not start. Candance McKnight's son, Walker, died at 25 years old, following six years of him being sick and two organ transplants.

She and her doctors believe Walker's death was partially due to vaping, something her son picked up in high school. FOX 35 has talked with Candace and Walker several times before. But this is the first time since the death of her son.

Meet Walker McKnight

The backstory:

Walker McKnight was a healthy college cheerleader. He was a Winter Park High School graduate before attending Florida Atlantic University. He was a talented cellist and cheerleader. In 2019, he came home from college not feeling well. He was ultimately diagnosed with pneumonia in both of his lungs and put on life support.

The doctors blamed the e-cigarettes Walker was using. They later diagnosed him with EVALI – E-Cigarette or Vaping Product-Associated Lung Injury – a relatively new illness believed to be linked to vaping.

"That is why someone that was in the shape – Walker was in at 6’2, 200 pounds prepping for cheerleading tryouts – succumbed to this kind of damage to his lungs," she said.

From there, it was a six-year battle that Walker fought. He had a double lung and kidney transplant, but his body rejected the organs 2.5 years after the transplant. He died on New Year's Eve 2024.

"He lived a very up-and-down life, battling an infection, battling another procedure," his mom said. "He was like a medical war. His body was. Having a double lung and kidney transplant and then eventually succumbing to rejection. But he never complained. He was very happy."

Walker's message

"He's just said if he – if there's anything he could have ever changed, it would have been he would have never vaped to begin with," his mom told FOX 35's Stephanie Buffamonte.

American Lung Association: What is EVALI?

According to the American Lung Association, e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury – also known as EVALI – is a serious lung condition. It's relatively new and research is underway by both the CDC and lunch researchers to better understand the impact of vaping on the lungs and the entire body.

Experts believe there to be a strong connection between vaping and damage to the body's lungs.

Dr. Ashraf Luqman is a lung specialist as HCA Florida Healthcare. He was not part of Walker's care, but told FOX 35 that he's treated several patients for EVALI or vape-related damage to their bodies.

He said many of his patients express regret that they started vaping in the first place, similar to the message Walker told FOX 35 when he was alive.

"I see this a lot. I would tell people, ‘you have permanent lung damage or you have cancer,’ and they would say, ‘I should have done something and would have done something and I did not,’" said Dr. Luqman.

He said because peoples lungs are often compromise already, when you vape and get another illness, such as the flu, the seriousness can be much worse.

"You probably could have done well at home or done a lot at home. But because your lungs are compromised, you're seeing that admission, you're seeing more healthcare needs, you see a slower recovery from illnesses, especially respiratory illnesses," he said.

Before Walker died, he spoke to local middle and high schools – and even appeared on FOX 35 – to share his story and his warning against vaping.

"Don't let this story die," said Candace. 

"There are still millions of middle school and high school kids who are vaping and no one, no one should have to go through the journey that our family's gone through and that Walker's gone through."

FOX 35 COVERAGE

Dig deeper:

• 2022: Florida man who survived double-lung transplant reacts to Juul settlement
• 2021: Man fights for his life, in need of double-lung and kidney transplants
• 2020: College cheerleader who says vaping almost killed him works with lawmakers to ban vaping devices
• 2019: College cheerleader says vaping almost killed him

Resources for parents and teens on quitting vaping, smoking, nicotine

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Tobacco Education Resource Library (USDA)
• SmokeFree.Gov
• Truth Initiative
• American Lung Association: Not For Me
• CDC:Resources to Help Youth Reject or Quit Vaping