The family of Paul Alexander, who was paralyzed and lived for 70 years on an iron lung after contracting polio at a young age, has announced his death.
His brother Philip said in a post on the Facebook platform that Alexander, 78, who was residing in the US state of Texas, died on Monday.
Paul Alexander “The Beloved”
“It was an honor to be part of the life of someone who was loved just the way he was,” Philip Alexander wrote in a post yesterday, Tuesday. “He influenced and inspired millions, and that is not an exaggeration.”
Alexander was placed inside an iron cylinder that covers the entire body, known as the iron lung, in 1952 after he contracted polio when he was six years old. Only able to move his head, neck, and mouth, Alexander, who called him “the Man with the Iron Lung,” lived inside the iron frame for the rest of his life.
Polio is a deadly disease that paralyzed tens of thousands of children every year in the past. The iron lung uses pressure to push air into the lungs.
Busy life
But the iron lung was no obstacle for Alexander: he graduated from law school, passed the bar exam, and was practicing.
He also traveled to all continents, his brother said. “He was remarkable,” his brother wrote. “What a compliment! He loved good food… long conversations, learning and laughter.”
Alexander was infected with Covid-19 and received medical care in a hospital last February.
His illness left him weak and vulnerable to dehydration, according to a spokesman on the TikTok app, on which Alexander had more than 300,000 followers.
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