Paul Alexander, the man who spent 70 years of his life in an iron lung passed away at the age of 78 in Texas, United States on Monday. A fundraiser for his healthcare confirmed the news on his GoFundMe page. “After surviving polio as a child, he lived over 70 years inside an iron lung. In this time Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author. His story travelled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered,” Christopher Ulmer, who had set up the page, said in the update.Alexander was forced to live inside the 600-pound metallic structure after being struck by polio at the age of six. Popularly known as ‘Polio Paul,’ he was paralyzed in 1952 by the disease, rendering him incapable of breathing independently. He was swiftly taken to a Texas hospital upon experiencing symptoms, only to awaken confined within the mechanical lung.
