Paul Alexander, 'Man In An Iron Lung' Dies At 78
Image: GoFundMe
14 March 2024
Paul Alexander, the man who spent over 70 years inside an iron lung, has died at the age of 78
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He was forced to live inside the 600-pound metallic structure after being struck down by polio at the age of six
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Widely known as "Polio Paul", Mr Alexander was paralysed from the neck down since 1952 due to the disease, leaving him unable to breathe by himself
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He was rushed to hospital in Texas after developing symptoms, and woke up inside the mechanical lung
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His death was announced on his GoFundMe page on March 12
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Mr Alexander faced many challenges since he was born in 1946. He endured the worst polio outbreak in US history with almost 58,000 cases - mostly children
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The disease severely affected Mr Alexander, requiring him to use a machine to breathe
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Polion, or Poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus
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In this time Mr Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author. His story travelled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world
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