Paul Alexander, a North Texas man who spent much of his life in an iron lung has died. According to his obituary, he passed away on March 11. He was 78.
Paul Alexander, a Dallas native, was recognized around the world as “the man in the iron lung” or “polio Paul,” but he was a role model to his younger brother, Philip.
What did Philip Alexander say about his brother?
His brother, Philip Alexander, described him as a “welcoming, warm person” with a “big smile” who instantly made others feel at ease.
Source: Sky News
“He was like a normal sibling to me. We argued, played, loved, partied, and went to concerts together – he was exactly like any other brother, and I never considered it,” he told the BBC.
Philip respected his brother’s self-sufficiency, even though he was dealing with an illness that prevented him from performing daily duties like feeding himself.
About Paul Alexander
During this time, Paul attended college, practiced law, and became a published author. Paul was an excellent role model. He was the master of his realm, enabling others to assist him.
When he became ill in 1952, doctors in his hometown of Dallas performed surgery on him and saved his life. However, polio had rendered his body incapable of breathing on its own.
The solution was to place him in an iron lung, a metal cylinder that enclosed his torso up to his neck.
He could breathe thanks to his “old iron horse” lung. Bellows sucked air from the cylinder. He forced his lungs to expand and take in air. When he breathed back in, his lungs deflated due to the same mechanism.
