Paul Alexander, famously known as “Polio Paul,” has achieved a remarkable milestone by surviving for an astounding 70 years while confined to an iron lung. His journey began tragically when he contracted polio at the tender age of six during a devastating outbreak of the disease that swept through the United States in 1952.
In a touching recognition of his resilience, Paul Alexander, now 77, was recently honored by the Guinness World Records in August 2023 as the longest-running iron lung patient, according to The New York Post. Despite being paralyzed from the neck down, his life story is one of remarkable achievements. He not only graduated from high school but also passed the bar exam and authored a memoir titled “Three Minutes for a Dog.”
Summer of 1952, at age six, Paul Alexander contracted Polio and became paralyzed for life. At its peak – “Every time I’d make a friend in the ward, they’d die.” Today Alexander is alive at 74, and one of the last people in the world still using an iron lung. pic.twitter.com/FB7mDhUsRf
— MSAFIRI (@msafiriulimal) August 22, 2021
The United States faced a severe polio outbreak in the 1950s, with approximately 58,000 documented cases. Paul Alexander’s own encounter with the virus occurred in 1952 while he was playing outside his Dallas, Texas, home. It was his mother who noticed the telltale signs of the illness as he returned with a feverish face.
Promptly taken to Parkland hospital, young Paul’s diagnosis of polio was confirmed, as reported by The Mirror. However, the overcrowded conditions initially led to his case being overlooked until a vigilant doctor recognized the gravity of his condition. An emergency tracheotomy was performed to alleviate the congestion in his lungs, after which he was placed in an iron lung, alongside numerous other children similarly affected by the outbreak.
Recalling those challenging days, Paul Alexander shared his memories with The Guardian, painting a vivid picture of rows upon rows of iron lungs filled with afflicted children, a poignant testament to the impact of the polio outbreak in the United States during that era.
