A man who spent seven decades living inside an ‘iron lung’ after contracting polio as a child has passed away.
Paul Alexander, who contracted the virus in 1952, was paralyzed from the neck down. Tragically, he passed away on Monday after being hospitalized with Covid.
At the age of six, Mr. Alexander found himself in the hospital due to a sudden onset of fever and body aches.
After his polio infection, his health took a turn for the worse, prompting a doctor to perform a tracheotomy to alleviate the congestion in his lungs.
Mr. Alexander relied on the iron lung to assist his breathing as the polio infection had severely damaged his internal functions.
The device functioned by utilizing a motor-powered set of leather bellows to suck air out of the cylinder, which in turn created negative pressure that caused his lungs to expand.
Initially, he found himself immobilized and speechless within the confines of the metal casing, resulting in neglect of personal hygiene as he struggled to convey his needs to the attending nurses.
After his time in the hospital, he was relocated to his residence in Dallas, Texas. To aid in his communication, his father provided him with a slim, transparent plastic tool that was approximately one foot in length. This handy device featured a pen attachment, allowing him to write and operate buttons on various devices, including mobile phones.
Afterward, he mastered the skill of independent breathing and gained the ability to venture outside of the iron lung for brief intervals. Despite his medical challenges, he pursued higher education and successfully obtained a law degree. Remarkably, he even went on to practice law professionally.
In addition, his memoir was released in April 2020.
During the polio outbreak in the 1950s, he was among the numerous children who were confined to iron lungs.
Iron lungs were also utilized in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the last individual who relied on an iron lung in the UK passed away in December 2017 at the age of 75.
In 2020, he shared with The Guardian that he realized the key to achieving success in life was to focus on mental strength.
The passing of Mr. Alexander was met with an outpouring of tributes.
Christopher Ulmer expressed his heartfelt sentiments, stating, “Paul, you will be deeply missed, but your memory will forever live on.” Ulmer established a GoFundMe page with the intention of assisting in covering the expenses associated with Mr. Alexander’s care.
“Your story is truly appreciated, thank you for sharing it with us.”
Philip, his brother, expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser.
“I want to express my immense gratitude to everyone who generously contributed to my brother’s fundraiser,” he expressed with heartfelt appreciation.
“It enabled him to enjoy his final years without any worries or stress. Additionally, it will cover the expenses for his funeral, which is especially important during this challenging period.”
The outpouring of comments and the inspiration Paul has brought to so many people is truly incredible.
Polio, a severe infection, has become increasingly rare in both the US and UK due to the success of vaccination programs.
The possibility of contracting it is now minimal, as it is only prevalent in a handful of countries.
Health officials have declared a national incident following the identification of the polio virus in sewage samples collected from London between February and May 2022. However, no associated cases have been reported so far.
Since 1984, there have been no confirmed cases of polio-caused paralysis in the UK.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, polio emerged as a highly dreaded disease due to the frequent outbreaks it caused worldwide.
In 1916, there was a significant outbreak in New York City that claimed the lives of more than 2,000 individuals. Similarly, in 1952, the United States experienced its most severe recorded outbreak, resulting in the deaths of over 3,000 people.
