OAN’s Brooke Mallory
5:56 PM – Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Paul Alexander contracted polio in 1952 when he was just six years old. The disease robbed him of the ability to use his body within days. However, he persevered despite his illness and lived for more than 70 years in an iron lung.
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Alexander encouraged others to live life to the fullest. In addition to painting, he wrote books and practiced law for many years.
“Paul took great pride in being a positive role model for others,” said his friend Christopher Ulmer. GoFundMe page “I think more than anything, he wants other people to know that he’s capable of great things.”
Alexander died Monday at age 78, according to a notice from Grove Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park in his hometown of Dallas, Texas.
Ulmer said that he first met Alexander when he participated in an interview with him and that they remained in touch over the years. Ulmer also said she started fundraising for Alexander after certain people betrayed his trust and left Alexander in need of better living conditions. More than $140,000 was donated in response.
“Thanks to him, he was able to spend his last few years stress-free,” Alexander’s brother Philip said in a statement. “We will also be paying for his funeral during this difficult time. It’s truly incredible to read all the comments and see that so many people are inspired by Paul. . I’m just grateful.”
Alexander contracted polio during the worst of the pandemic in the United States. At the time, the wards were filled with children sleeping in rows of iron lungs. The iron lung is a 7-foot-long cylinder that uses bellows or bellows to draw air into the wearer’s lungs, creating negative pressure.
Alexander’s symptoms rapidly worsened, and within days his developing body stopped functioning. After his last-minute tracheostomy saved his life, he continued to push the boundaries of his medical condition. He could draw art or turn the pages of a book with his stick in his mouth. He completed his education in high school, college, and law school. In later years, he typed his memoirs using a stick and keyboard.
“My parents taught me to use my intelligence and energy to be productive,” Alexander said. “I have never considered myself disabled. I chose to use this term because I think it covers the basis of most people’s perceptions.”
“I’m crippled in most people’s minds, except mine,” he added. “I’m Paul Alexander, human.”
Eventually, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized him as the longest-lived iron lung patient.
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