Paul Alexander, known worldwide as Polio Paul, has died at the age of 78 due to Covid-19. It is quite a legend, since Alexander lived for more than seven decades inside an iron lung after suffering from polio when he was six years old.
His brother Philip was in charge of breaking the news on social networks: “It was an honor to be part of the life of a person as admired as him. He inspired millions of people, without exaggeration,” his family wrote in a Facebook post.
Likewise, Christopher Ulmer, creator of his GoFundMe page, dedicated some emotional words to the deceased: “After surviving polio as a child, he lived for more than 70 years inside an iron lung. During this time, Paul went to the university, became a lawyer and published books. His story traveled far and wide, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model who will continue to be remembered.”
Alexander was six years old when he was placed inside an iron lung after contracting polio. The pressure of this mechanism pumped air into the lungs of the affected person, allowing him to live for decades. As specialists point out, the technique used is called “frog breathing” and makes use of the throat muscles to force air through the vocal cords, allowing the patient to swallow oxygen.
His lifestyle did not stop Alexander from finding love. While he was studying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, he met Claire, a woman to whom he became engaged. Unfortunately, the young woman’s family disapproved of the relationship: “It took years to heal that,” says the affected person.
Fortunately, a few years later Paul Alexander met Kathy Gaines, who would become his caregiver all these years, despite being blind due to diabetes. Her story is unique in the world, since she survived the worst polio outbreak in the history of the United States.
