Paul Alexander’s life was unlike most others. For much of his life, he lived inside an iron lung, one of the last people still using the 1928 respirator. Despite his circumstances, he lived a fulfilling life, refusing to accept limitations. “My life is incredible,” he stated.
At six years old, Paul fell ill with polio, a disease that paralyzed thousands before the vaccine. After being pronounced dead by one doctor, a second doctor performed an emergency tracheotomy, saving his life. Paul was placed in an iron lung, where he spent 18 months recovering.
The year Paul contracted polio, 1952, was a dark year in the U.S., with 58,000 cases and 3,145 deaths. Paul endured rows of iron lungs filled with other children, hearing doctors doubt his survival. His determination to live only grew stronger, defying the odds.
