Man Who Has Been Living Inside Iron Lung Machine For 65 Years To Stay Alive

Since 1952, Paul Alexander had been paralyzed from the neck down and hasn’t been able to breathe on his own. At age 6, he contracted the poliovirus and had to be rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. But a doctor quickly performed a tracheostomy on him, which involves opening the neck to place a tub into someone’s windpipe.

Paul was also placed into the iron lung and fought tirelessly until eighteen months later; he left the hospital to go home to Dallas, Texas. 

Due to his illness, Paul, known as ‘The Man in the Iron Lung’ didn’t get into college because they said he was too crippled, but he allegedly spent two years persuading the college to let him attend and has finally been accepted on two conditions, including getting a vaccination and that a fraternity would be responsible for him. 

“People didn’t like me very much back then; I felt they were uncomfortable around me,” Paul, who still lives in the Iron lung, recently said in a short documentary by Mitch Summers.

When asked what he regularly does, he added: “Well, the same thing everybody else does. I woke up, brushed my teeth, washed my face, shaved, had some breakfast. I just needed a little of help. I would read, study something, paint a picture or do some drawing. I hated just watching TV.” Interestingly, Paul has passed the bar, became a lawyer, and says he was a pretty damn good one.

Accordingly, he has written a book with just his mouth to inspire people. 

“No matter where you’re from or what your past is, or the challenges that you could be facing, you can truly do anything. You’ve just got to set your mind to it and work hard.” However, all Paul has wanted to do is accomplish the things he was once told he’d never accomplish. And in doing so, it means he’s not beaten by polio. He concluded his story is an example of why one’s past or disability doesn’t have to define their future. 

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