Paul Alexander, known as the ‘Man in the iron lung,’ passed away at 78

The individual known as “the man in the iron lung,” who survived polio, has passed away at the age of 78.

Paul Alexander was afflicted with polio at the age of six in 1952, rendering him paralyzed from the neck down. This condition necessitated him to rely on a metal cylinder for breathing assistance for the remainder of his life. Despite his challenges, he pursued a law degree, practiced law, and authored a memoir.

A recent post on a fundraising platform announced the passing of Paul Alexander, also known as “The Man in the Iron Lung.” The post praised his resilience and cited him as an exemplary role model for his achievements despite adversity.

In 1952, upon falling ill, physicians in his native Dallas performed a life-saving operation. However, due to polio, his respiratory functions were impaired, necessitating placement in an iron lung—a metallic chamber enveloping his body up to the neck, facilitating breathing.

His lung, affectionately dubbed his “old iron horse,” facilitated his breathing. A mechanism akin to bellows extracted air from the cylinder, compelling his lungs to expand and draw in oxygen. Upon release, the reverse process caused his lungs to contract.

Over time, Alexander mastered the art of breathing unassisted, allowing him to occasionally step away from the lung.

Like many survivors of polio confined to iron lungs, his prognosis was grim. Yet, defying expectations, he thrived for decades, long after the advent of the polio vaccine in the 1950s virtually eliminated the disease in the Western world.

He completed his high school education before pursuing studies at Southern Methodist University. In 1984, he obtained a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Two years later, he was admitted to the bar and embarked on a lengthy career as a practicing attorney.

In 2020, he expressed to the Guardian, “I realized that to make any strides in my life, it had to be a mental endeavor.”

During that same year, he released a memoir that reportedly took him eight years to complete. He utilized a plastic stick to type on a keyboard and relied on a friend for dictation.

While medical advancements rendered iron lungs obsolete by the 1960s, replaced by ventilators, Alexander continued to reside in his cylinder, citing familiarity as his reason.

Guinness World Records acknowledged him as the individual with the longest tenure in an iron lung.

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