Paul Alexander died at 78 on Monday, March 11, after spending 70 long years in an iron lung, setting the Guinness World Record for living the longest time in an iron lung. Alexander was stricken by polio and his chest muscles paralyzed at age six in 1952, just three short years before the polio vaccine was rolled out and mostly ended the scourge of polio and the paralysis left in its wake.
Alexander, after falling ill one summer with polio, soon found himself paralyzed from the neck down and his motor functions lost, and had to spend 18 months in the hospital before his parents could bring him home on Christmas Eve 1953. Mr. Alexander eventually became a lawyer in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and learned to gulp down air to spend at least some time outside the iron lung.
In 2022, he spoke to Christopher Ulster about God’s love and how he could see it in his parents, with whom he lived for his whole life and constantly saw God. He said, “I had a whole life lived with them, and it was amazing.” He added, “You know, they talk about God’s love. That’s just words. But when you actually receive it, boy, it’s something.”
Continuing, he explained how exceptional his parents were, telling Ulster, “I don’t believe anybody could be like that.” He went on to add, “I cannot believe that people exist of their quality. They loved me so much. They loved their kids.”
Alexander added that finding purpose is important, telling Ulster, “I look at people and I just want to say, ‘Why are you here? What is the purpose? There’s a purpose in your life. What do you do to make things better?’ Because that’s the way I think.” He added, “If I don’t have a purpose today, I’ll create one,”
Ulster, after meeting Mr. Alexander, helped set up and promote a GoFundMe campaign to help pay at least some of Alexander’s considerable medical expenses. The fundraiser ended up collecting over $143,000. Explaining the need, it provided, “Paul Alexander, widely known as “the man in the iron lung,” has spent his life helping and serving as a role model for many. Now he needs our help. He was taken advantage of by people who were supposed to care for his best interests. This theft, combined with the high cost of healthcare, has left Paul with little money to survive. He struggles to maintain his iron lung, afford healthcare, and find housing that accommodates his needs. Paul lives in a small one-room apartment that does not have a window.”
It continued, “Since surviving polio in the 1950s, Paul has used an iron lung to breathe. He would eventually receive a law degree, pass the bar, and open up a successful practice. He is now unable to leave his iron lung or work. The inability to leave his iron lung is what left him vulnerable to theft by those he trusted. All the money contributed to this campaign will go directly to Paul and be used to maintain his iron lung, find proper housing, and provide healthcare. Thank you for caring for a man who has helped many throughout his life.”
His brother, adding an update, said, “It allowed him to live his last few years stress-free. It will also pay for his funeral during this difficult time. It is absolutely incredible to read all the comments and know that so many people were inspired by Paul. I am just so grateful.”
Featured image credit: GoFundMe