Martha Lillard, Last Iron Lung User, Passes Away at 78

Martha Lillard, diagnosed with polio at the tender age of five, spent much of her life depending on an iron lung for her breathing. She was the last patient in the United States to use this life-sustaining device and passed away on June 26 in Oklahoma, as confirmed by her sister.

At 78 years old, Lillard outlived the expectations set by doctors, who believed she wouldn’t live past her twenties. Her sister, Cindy McVeigh, shared that, “She had a passion and drive to continue living and make the most of life.”

McVeigh suspects that her sister’s death relates to the lingering effects of COVID-19, noting that the death certificate cited chronic lung failure and post-polio syndrome as contributing factors.

Lillard spent her days in a steel lung cylinder, which helped regulate her breathing through changes in air pressure.

In her youth, Lillard only attended elementary school part-time, meeting her educational needs with tutoring. She later navigated her high school experience at Shawnee High by utilizing a phone system that let her connect with teachers and classmates via intercom.

Her family even crafted a road trip to Missouri, complete with a specially designed trailer. McVeigh remembers their father checking with hotels to ensure that the doors could accommodate Lillard’s sleeping quarters. Remarkably, Lillard even drove a car at one point in her life.

“To me, it felt very normal,” McVeigh reminisced.

Polio was once a widespread fear, paralyzing countless children each year. Vaccination efforts since 1955 dramatically reduced case numbers, leading to the disease being declared eradicated in the U.S. by 1979.

Thanks to the internet, Lillard maintained her curiosity and continued to learn about various topics, including her disease. Even with the limitations she faced, she managed to regain some mobility, allowing her to use her left arm and prepare simple meals.

Through online interactions, Lillard met her future husband, Baha Sarr, after the events of September 11, 2001. After years of communication, the two finally married in February when Lillard was able to secure a travel visa.

McVeigh expressed that they were truly soulmates, adding that Sarr is heartbroken by her passing.

During the pandemic, Lillard faced COVID-19 twice. Before these infections, her lung function was significantly compromised, and in her final years, she struggled to breathe and rarely left her home. For the last two years of her life, she relied on her iron lung almost continuously.

McVeigh portrayed her sister as artistic and creative, stating that Lillard wrote poems and composed music. Interestingly, Lillard self-penned her own obituary, which includes details of her contributions to animal rescue through the Humane Society.

In her obituary, she noted her love for beagles and her role in cross-posting for animal rescue initiatives. Recently, she updated it to specify that she died from complications related to a prolonged COVID-19 infection.

For some time, McVeigh and Lillard sought someone who could repair her iron lung, one of several she had over the years. Reflecting on her sister’s legacy, McVeigh tearfully mentioned, “But we don’t have to do that anymore because she’s the last one.”