My name is Howard Haskin, I am 59 years old and have been smoking cigarettes since I was 15. Presently I am wheelchair bound disabled. In 1995 I was diagnosed with Diabetes and was told I needed to stop smoking but of course I didn’t. In 2001 I was involved in a very bad incident at the ocean and both of my feet were cut up very badly and even though I had lots of antibiotics in my system Infections started in both of my feet. I had my 1st surgery on my left foot in Feb. 2002 and it was the amputation of my middle toe on my left foot. Once again it was stressed that I give up cigarettes as together with the diabetes the cigarettes were preventing my body from healing properly as well as affecting my circulation in my feet. I kept smoking. From 2002 through 2006 I had 6 surgeries on my feet, 4 on my left foot and 2 on my right which included knuckles removed and surgical screws implanted, Portions of bone from the outer part of my left foot removed, skin graphs chronic ulcers. I tried Nic gum, the patch and cold turkey but I failed every time. In addition to all of this in the 1980’s I had a Spinal Fusion on my lower back ( L-5 S-1 ) and with each surgery on my feet my back became progressively worse, to the point i was unable to even stand up straight and i was told that my spinal column was out of alignment from using a cane for a few years and I had the beginning stages of Scoliosis. Then in May 2011 my little toe on my right foot became infected and it spread quickly and on May 25 2011 I had my right leg amputated. During the surgery my heart stopped for 90 seconds AND I WAS IN A COMA FOR 4 DAYS AND NIGHTS while i was in SICU, Two weeks later i was transferred and I spent 14 months in a Nursing Home /ReHab facility until they found me an apartment that was wheelchair friendly as my Apartment before the surgery had stairs and it was determined that it was not safe to return to that apartment. In Aug 2012 I moved into my new apartment which is on the 17th floor of a high rise apartment complex facing the ocean in Far Rockaway N.Y. and within the 1st few days of the 1st week there i bought a pack of cigarettes after not smoking for 14 months. I was so depressed and mad at myself for starting again and then just 2 months later a little storm happened named SANDY and i was trapped on the 17th floor and I used that as an excuse to smoke even more. Between trying to deal with the loss of my leg and the chronic pain in my back and feet including a condition called Neuorpathy I was beyond depressed and I was in tears everyday about my inability to stop smoking. Then one day I decided to try this thing called an electronic cigarette. The 1st thing I tried was the only one i ever heard of which was BLU. After 2 or 3 days I basically threw them away as they just didn’t do it. Then I tried one from prosmoke NOPE same results, Then by accident i decided to go to you tube and see if there were people discussing this and WOW there were a ton of people reviewing E Cigarettes and There were several people that came off as honest and that their main goal was to help people to give up cigarettes and to try Vaping with products that were going to do the trick. I sent out some emails and I included my email address and my phone number and I actually got a call from this guy named Keith and he spent over an hour on the phone with me answering every question I had and not ONCE did he try and sell me anything. His only goal was to help me get cigarettes out of my life. I decided to actually try a starter kit from his company called MAXVAPER and his starter kit was very reasonable in price and he threw in liquids. Between what he did and having a product that actually gave me the experience of smoking as several people on you tube that came off as caring, and supportive to everyone trying to stop smoking and providing valuable information. I never realized just how overwhelming the e-cig world was and as a newbie i was LOST but watching people’s videos such as P.Busardo and Indoor Smoker I felt this incredible sense of community with amazing people that really wanted to help as best as they could and basically shared the same goal which was to help get people off of cigarettes. That was over 3 months ago and I have not had a single cigarette since the 1st day I started vaping with my EMAX. With tears in my eyes as I write this I owe my life to Keith from MAXVAPER for taking the time to call me and just talk to me and again not once did he try and get me to buy his product. In addition P.Busardo and Chris ( indoor smoker) also had a major role in saving my life due their videos that provided great information and as someone who was a Social Worker for almost 30 years I feel that I am a good judge of a person’s character and both came off as caring and genuine and passionate with their goal of getting people to stop cigarettes. E Cigarettes got me to stop smoking from day one when nothing else did including killing myself slowly and literally one piece at a time. To not give up smoking after losing body parts and multiple surgeries as smoking affected my circulation and my ability to heal and yet I KEPT SMOKING. Thank God E-Cigs came into my world and GOD BLESS the people that helped me even when they didn’t even know they were helping me. GOD BLESS the entire E-CIG community as a whole, without any doubt the e cig community has a huge population of folks that just want to show people that they can stop smoking and every person I have written to and spoke with in my opinion have been wonderful, passionate, caring, honest towards the same goal, TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME. The bonus besides to finally giving up smoking is that even though I am wheelchair bound I feel like i am now part of this wonderful community. VAPING SAVED MY LIFE. Sorry for my rambling on Sincerely Howard Haskin. I am willing to talk to anyone about what I have been through or to talk to anyone who wants to talk about what they are going through. Feel free to contact me through my email and i will give you my phone number if you want to talk. Again I kid you not vaping and the people that took the time really did save my life hakstraw@aol.com