A MOM has issued a heartbreaking warning over vaping after her “healthy and strong” 15-year-old son was found dead in his bed just weeks after she noticed he was mysteriously losing weight.

Amber Brito claims her son Messiah De’Jesus Reyes had been secretly vaping for around a year before he died, and is now urging parents to watch for the subtle warning signs she says she missed.

A mom warns about vaping after the death of her 15-year-old son

His mother, Amber Brito, now urges parents to watch for subtle vaping warning signs

Writing in an emotional opinion piece for The Ledger, Brito said Messiah had been “vibrant, funny and full of life” before his health reportedly began to change in 2024.

“From the moment he was born, he was healthy and strong,” she wrote.

“He was the kind of child who brought energy into every room. I thought he would always be energetic and strong.”

Brito said she gradually noticed her son was losing weight, seemed constantly tired and became increasingly irritable.

His grades reportedly slipped, he withdrew from family activities and spent more time alone in his room.

She wrote: “None of these changes seemed serious on their own. But over time, the pattern became harder to ignore.”

By early 2025, Brito said Messiah began showing symptoms that reminded her of the silent seizures he had experienced as a child, but claimed they appeared to be more severe this time.

She and Messiah’s father took him to see a doctor, where the teen admitted he had been vaping but promised he had stopped.

Because of his symptoms, he was referred to a specialist and a follow-up appointment was arranged.

But Brito said the family never got the chance to attend.

“On May 18, 2025, just over two weeks after his 15th birthday, my son was found unresponsive in his bed,” she wrote.

“He had passed away hours earlier.”

She said investigators noted signs consistent with a seizure and found vapes hidden in Messiah’s room.

In the months after his death, Brito claims she discovered through his messages that he had been vaping frequently for about a year and was allegedly able to access the products even during school hours.

“We don’t smoke or vape, and we didn’t know what to look for or how common vaping had become,” she wrote.

“Later, I was told that vaping among students was so widespread that it often went unaddressed.”

Brito also said her son’s toxicology report showed aerosol chemicals and cannabinoids, along with swelling in his brain.

While the exact role vaping may have played in Messiah’s death has not been officially established, Brito believes it contributed to the deterioration in his health.

“Vaping did not take my son overnight,” she wrote.

“It began with small, seemingly insignificant changes that grew into something much more serious.”

The grieving mom is now calling for greater education around youth vaping and wants lawmakers to continue funding anti-smoking and anti-vaping programs.

She has also put up a billboard outside Messiah’s school featuring his picture alongside the message: “Put the vape down.”

“I am sharing my son’s story because I do not want another parent to experience this kind of loss,” Brito wrote.

“My son was deeply loved. He should still be here with us.

“I hope sharing Messiah’s story will encourage lawmakers to act and families to discuss the dangers of vaping.”

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16791828/vaping-warning-boy-dead-mom-spotted-weight-loss/