The Guardian reported on March 14 that Mr. Paul Alexander, a polio patient since the age of 6 and who spent most of his life in an "iron lung", has just passed away in Dallas (Texas, USA), at the age of 78.
Paul Alexander was born in 1946 in Dallas, Texas, USA. In the summer of 1952, a polio epidemic broke out across the United States and Paul, then 6 years old, was one of the victims.
Paul contracted polio and in less than a week, the life of this healthy and active boy changed completely. Paul could not speak, could not swallow and suffered respiratory failure due to the polio virus.
To keep Paul alive, doctors had to perform a tracheotomy on him and then place him in a machine called an “iron lung.” Initially, doctors only tried to keep Paul alive, but no one expected him to live this long.
Although he could only move his head, Paul was able to draw, and his mother taught him how to read. He even graduated and received a law degree from the University of Texas. Unable to write, Paul studied by reading and memorizing. After graduating from college, Paul also established his own law firm.
After more than 70 years of using the "iron lung", Paul passed away on March 11. However, his family and relatives have only just announced this information.
"It is with a heavy heart that I must say that my brother passed away last night. It was an honor to be a part of the life of someone as admired as he was," said his brother Philip Alexander.
Christopher Ulmer, a disability advocate who is running the fundraiser for Paul, also confirmed his passing in an update on the GoFundMe page.
"His story has spread far and wide, positively influencing people all over the world. Paul was an incredible role model who will continue to be remembered," said Mr. Ulmer.
An earlier update on Paul’s official TikTok account said he had been rushed to the emergency room after contracting Covid-19. Paul was 78 years old, an age that even the most optimistic doctors could not have imagined he would reach when he was placed inside the cage more than 70 years ago.
“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated and raised funds to support my brother. The money has helped him live out his final years in comfort and has been used to pay for his funeral during this difficult time,” Philip said.
"Despite his limitations, he lived a full life. Hopefully he will be an endless source of inspiration for everyone to follow and always remember him," Mr. Philip added.
In March last year, Guinness World Records recognized Paul Alexander as the longest-living patient in an "iron lung."
The passing of Paul Alexander has left many people regretful, as he has long been a shining example of the will to overcome fate to rise up. He survived the polio epidemic and the Covid pandemic, but finally passed away at a time when it seemed that Covid had completely disappeared.
Poliomyelitis is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children under the age of 5. It is usually transmitted from person to person through contact with the feces of an infected person or through droplets from a cough or sneeze. Once in the body, the polio virus multiplies in the throat and intestines, sometimes invading the nervous system, leading to paralysis.
The "iron lung" was invented in 1928 by inventor Philip Drinker and physician Louis Shaw, and was widely used to treat respiratory failure caused by polio.
The device is a large horizontal cylinder that acts as an artificial respirator, working by simulating the breathing process. Initially, air is sucked out of the box using a hand- or motor-driven pump. This creates a vacuum that causes the patient's lungs to expand and draw air in. The air is then returned to the box, increasing the pressure inside, causing the patient's lungs to collapse to expel the air.
Thousands of people were placed in "iron lungs" to keep them alive during the 1940s and 1950s, when polio was widespread across the United States.
Today, with the development of better polio treatments and the advent of ventilators, “iron lungs” are less commonly used. However, they are still used in some cases, such as for patients with damaged chest muscles or diaphragms.
Minh Hoa (reported by Dan Tri, Thanh Nien)
Source
Comment (0)