Paul Alexander, the Man in the Iron Lung, Dies at 78

When hearing the name “Iron Man”, you’d think of Robert Downey Jr or Tony Stark. However, not many of us are aware of the real Iron Man – Mr Paul Alexander.

Paul Alexander was born and raised in North Texas, and he lived in an iron lung for 70 years after contracting polio at just six years old.

He tragically died at the age of 78 on Monday (11 Mar 2024), after being rushed to the hospital with COVID-19.

A Long Fight against Polio

Paul Alexander had to depend on a metal cylinder for most of his life. The lifesaving chamber covered his entire body except his head, and it served as a diaphragm that helped him to breathe.

He was also paralysed due to the polio virus in 1952. Back then, he reported having fever and aching limbs and he was rushed to the hospital.

However, his condition continued to go from bad to worse, prompting a doctor to perform tracheostomy on him.

Tracheostomy is known as a surgery that opens up a person’s windpipe (trachea) to ease breathing. It is needed when there is an airway blockage due to infection, tumour, phlegm or swelling.

That was proven insufficient to keep him alive since the polio infection rendered his internal organs dysfunctional. That was when he needed to be placed in an iron lung; as its bellows suck the air out of the box, the air pressure inside decreases, alleviating the strain on his lungs and allowing them to expand.

For those who aren’t familiar, polio (or poliomyelitis) is a “disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus.”

It is infectious and not many of us are aware when we get infected since there might not be any visible symptoms.

However, about 25% of polio-infected people may experience common flu-like symptoms. The ones we are familiar with are: sore throat, fever, fatigue, headache and nausea, and more.

A Loved Role Model

Paul Alexander was well-loved by everyone around him. His brother, Philip Alexander, said that Paul “wanted to change the world” and “help people out”.

Philip described his late brother as someone who was always adapting and didn’t allow the virus to stop him from doing well in school. Thanks to their father, he was able to paint and write using a stick with a pen or brush attached to it.

Over time, his lungs became less dependent on the chamber and allowed him to go to school for short periods at a time. This was when he worked hard and eventually graduated with an economics degree from Southern Methodist University and a law degree from the University of Texas. He also became a practising lawyer in Texas after passing the bar exam.

He was known as someone who wanted to share hope, inspiration and joy with everyone on the internet through social media.

@ironlungman Episode 1 of Convos with Paul! We will be responding to comments and questions about Paul’s life, his polio, and life in an iron lung! Please be positive 😊 #PaulAlexander #poliopaul #ironlung #conversationswithpaul ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design

That was where get gathered a following and unwavering support – especially when his machine lost power. His friends would make sure he could breathe.

Not only that, against all odds, he was declared by The Guinness World Records as the longest-living iron lung patient in history.

His Strength and Memory Lives In All Of Us

Following his death, tributes from all over the world flooded in. With over 4,400 donations on his GoFundMe, he was able to have his medical fees and funeral covered.

Below is a message from Christopher Ulmer, the organiser of Paul Alexander’s GoFundMe.

He is a reminder that amidst the hardest of challenges, so long as we put our minds to it, we can accomplish anything. On another note, the more we spread positivity in this world, the greater the impact we’ll have on others.