Man Who Survived on Seven-Foot Iron Lung for More than 70 Years Passed Away at 78

‘The Man in the Iron Lung’ Paul Alexander passed away.

When Alexander aka Polio Paul was only 6 years old back in 1952, he had to struggle with polio and his treatment was quickly started in Texas’ hospital.

During that time, polio used to be a deadly virus, taking the lives of many people.

Fortunately, Alexander was lucky enough to get through that difficult phase with the support of an iron lung which is truly a notable medical invention.

This life-saving device helped him make his life a little easy for over seven decades, however, he lost the battle of his life recently on March 10.

Christopher Ulmer, who had been supporting Alexander by starting the GoFundMe campaign for his regular, and medical expenses, shared the saddest news of his death the following day.

Ulmer revealed on his fundraising page,

“Paul Alexander, ‘The Man in the Iron Lung’, passed away yesterday.”

“After surviving polio as a child, he lived over 70 years inside of an iron lung. In this time Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author.”

“His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered.”

He further explained his connection with Paul and added:

“I met and interviewed Paul in 2022. Our community raised a large amount of money for him.

“I just got off the phone with Philip, Pauls’ brother, who wants to communicate the following message.”

‘I am so gratitude to everybody who donated to my brother’s fundraiser. It allowed him to live his last few years stress-free. It will also pay for his funeral during this difficult time. It is absolutely incredible to read all the comments and know that so many people were inspired by Paul. I am just so grateful.’ 

“Paul, you will be missed but always remembered. Thanks for sharing your story with us.”

A special thanks to all the generous people who donated on GoFundMe, due to them Ulmer managed to raise a large amount of $143,000 for him.

This contribution helped him a lot in bearing his financial and medical expenses.

After Paul’s death, he was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records as the longest living person in an iron lung.

The Guardian reported in 2020 that in the US, only one other individual lives on an iron lung.

In addition, one of the residents of the UK, who also used to rely on an iron lung, lost his life in 2017, when he was 75 years old.

As the news of Alexander’s death started circulating on social media, people began to tribute him for living an amazing life as he was an example of resilience.

A social media user wrote, “Feeling sad after hearing this news Paul Alexander was a strong man who has taught everyone about the significance of personal resilience.

“He & other Iron Lung users are a reminder of the potential life span for medical devices & need to design for longevity.”

“His life & death an illustration of the importance of vaccines.”

He received one more honourable tribute on X read: “So sad to hear that Paul Alexander passed yesterday at age 78 from Covid-19. Paul contracted polio in 1952, when he was just six years old.”

“He ended up in an iron lung and while he could live outside it for extended periods of time he never really left it.”