Paul Alexander, known as “Polio Paul,” died at the age of 78 after being paralyzed due to polio and kept alive with the help of a 7-foot iron lung since 1952. Mirror reported.
Alexander was paralyzed after suffering from polio at the age of six in Dallas, Texas, and was placed in an iron lung, a machine that kept him alive for seven decades.
However, according to an update on his GoFundMe page on Tuesday, Alexander passed away on Monday, March 11.
The post reads: “Paul Alexander, 'The Man with the Iron Lung,' passed away yesterday. After surviving polio as a child, he lived for more than 70 years inside an iron lung that was first made in 1927.
“In that time, Paul went to college, became a lawyer and a published author. His story traveled far and wide, positively influencing people around the world.”
The page also included a message from his brother, Philip, who said: “I am so grateful to everyone who donated to my brother's fundraiser. It allowed him to live out his final years without stress. It will also pay for his funeral during this difficult time .
“It's absolutely incredible to read all the comments and know that so many people were inspired by Paul. I'm so grateful.”
The page's organizer, Christopher Ulmer, has disabled new donations to GoFundMe, which would cover his medical expenses and provide him with housing.
Paul published his biography 'Three Minutes to a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung' in 2020 and was recognized by Guinness World Records for having spent the longest amount of time living in an iron lung.
In the mid-20th century, polio caused widespread illness and death, primarily affecting the central nervous system and causing paralysis in approximately 0.5% of cases.
In 1979, the United States declared itself polio-free after a campaign to inoculate Americans with virologist Jonas Salk's 1953 vaccine, which was crucial for those suffering from pulmonary paralysis.
