By all appearances, Fraser Olender was in the prime of his life — a rising reality-TV star, adored by fans of Below Deck, stylish, driven, and seemingly unstoppable. But behind the smiles and spotlight, his heart nearly failed him.
Now, at just 33 years old, Fraser is sharing the terrifying story of how he suffered a sudden heart attack, a medical crisis he believes was triggered by vape poisoning — and how close he came to losing everything.
“I Was Rushed To Hospital Fighting For Breath”
In an emotional Instagram post that stunned his followers, Fraser revealed that just weeks ago, his life took a dramatic and frightening turn.
“A few weeks ago I was rushed to hospital due to severe chest pains and difficulties breathing,” he wrote.
The pain was overwhelming. The fear was immediate. And within moments, he was being rushed through hospital doors, unsure if he would walk out again.
What followed was a week inside London hospitals, surrounded by doctors, specialists, and machines — all working to uncover what had happened to his heart.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
After undergoing extensive testing, the answer stunned him.
Fraser was told he had suffered coronary artery vasospasm — a sudden and violent tightening of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
“Whatever was in my vape caused me to have a coronary artery vasospasm,” he claimed. “That means the arteries supplying blood to my heart suddenly clamped down.”
The spasm cut off oxygen to his heart long enough to trigger a full-blown ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) — the most dangerous form of heart attack.
This wasn’t caused by clogged arteries.
It wasn’t caused by long-term heart disease.
It happened because his heart was suddenly starved of oxygen.
At 33.
“I Have Never Experienced Fear Or Pain Like It”
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Fraser didn’t sugarcoat the ordeal. What he experienced, he says, was unlike anything he had ever known.
He described the pain as so intense, so relentless, that two rounds of morphine “didn’t touch the sides.”
Doctors were forced to administer the strongest pain relief legally allowed in the emergency room.
And even then?
“The pain only came down from a 10 to a 7,” he revealed.
At one point, he admitted, he truly believed he might not survive the night.
“I Could Have Died”
It is the line that has haunted fans the most — the sentence that shifted the story from medical scare to stark warning.
“I could have died for the sake of something so ridiculously stupid,” Fraser wrote.
In that moment of brutal clarity, the reality star confronted the terrifying truth: a habit he once treated casually nearly cost him his life.
A Public Warning From A Survivor
Now in recovery, Fraser says he is sharing his story for one reason only: to stop others from making the same mistake.
“If this experience can help even one person rethink vaping, it’s worth telling,” he told fans.
He confirmed that he has not touched a vape since the heart attack, and vows he never will again.
His message was simple. And urgent.
“Please do yourselves a favour and give it up too — cold turkey.”
From Reality TV To Real-Life Survival
Fraser joined Below Deck in 2021 and quickly became a standout personality on the Bravo series. Known for his wit, professionalism, and flamboyant charm, he appeared to embody confidence and energy.
Few could have imagined that behind the scenes, his heart was pushed to the brink of disaster.
Now, that same charisma is being used for something far more serious: turning fear into a warning.
A Stark Reminder For A Generation
Vaping is often promoted as the “safer” alternative. A stylish habit. A harmless vice.
Fraser Olender’s story cuts directly through that illusion.
At 33, with no warning signs and no long history of heart disease, he suffered a medical emergency that nearly ended his life — one he firmly believes was caused by what he inhaled.
“I’m Grateful To Be Recovering Now”
Today, Fraser says he is thankful simply to be alive. Thankful for doctors. Thankful for a second chance. Thankful for a future he nearly lost.
“I didn’t think something like this could happen,” he admitted.
But it did.
And now his survival stands as a sobering reminder: sometimes the most dangerous threats come wrapped in habits we barely think twice about.