Dr. Jessica Gray reveals why Americans are living longer

Dr. Jessica Gray, a family medicine physician, has noted that new data indicates Americans are experiencing longer lifespans, marking a shift from the trends seen during the pandemic. She emphasizes reasons such as a decline in drug overdoses, particularly with fentanyl, and enhanced cancer survival rates attributed to advancements in immunotherapy and lower smoking rates. Gray also mentions preliminary data for 2025 that suggests life expectancy in the U.S. may improve even further.

A 78-year-old woman from Oklahoma, Martha Lillard, who was diagnosed with polio as a child and was the last American dependent on an iron lung, has passed away. She faced the challenges of polio from the age of five, which left her paralyzed from the neck down and reliant on a machine for breathing during sleep. Throughout the pandemic, Lillard contracted the coronavirus twice and spent nearly 24 hours in the iron lung.

“They told her she shouldn’t live past 20,” her sister, Cindy McVeigh, recounted. “She had a passion and drive to continue living and make the most of life.”

Despite her condition, Lillard managed to attend school for a couple of hours daily as a child and had a tutor for the remainder of her learning. An intercom system allowed her to communicate with her classmates and teachers from home. She even traveled by car during her childhood, thanks to a custom trailer designed to fit her iron lung and her father’s efforts to find accessible accommodations.

An iron lung is a type of negative pressure ventilator designed to assist patients with paralyzed lung muscles in breathing.

The disease resulted in numerous polio cases annually until the vaccine became available in 1955. By 1979, polio was declared eradicated in the United States. With treatment, Lillard regained the use of her left arm and leg and was able to drive for a time. She lived independently for many years and recently married an Egyptian man she had corresponded with for two decades after he received a visa.

“They really were soul mates,” McVeigh remarked. “He’s very heartbroken.”

Lillard, who had only 25% lung capacity before contracting COVID-19, volunteered at the Humane Society and enjoyed writing poetry. According to her death certificate, she passed away due to chronic lung failure and post-polio syndrome, both related to the long-term impacts of the coronavirus.