At 76 years old, Paul Alexander lived a life few could imagine. Polio paralyzed him when he was six years old, and he spent seven decades relying on an iron lung—a mechanical respirator that kept him alive after the disease took away his ability to breathe. Alexander defied all odds and became a lawyer, wrote a book about his experience, and practiced law, all while being in the machine that became his lifeline.
A Life Defined by Resilience
In 1952, polio was a terrifying epidemic in the United States, leaving thousands of children paralyzed or dead. At just six years old, Alexander contracted the virus, which attacked his nervous system and left him unable to move from the neck down. Doctors put him in an iron lung, a machine that, by negative pressure operation, allowed the lungs to expand and contract. At that time, very few people believed that he would survive, let alone have a life.
On the other hand, Alexander was not to give up on himself. His physical therapist worked hard with him, and he was able to breathe on his own for short times, so he could be out of the iron lung for some hours. He learned to write with his mouth and afterward, to type by using a stick which was attached to his finger.
Breaking Barriers
Jawed by an unrelenting determination to acquire knowledge and develop his capabilities, the young Alexander made a unique arrangement where he was taught at home by tutors. This way, he was able to attend school. Alexander used this arrangement to secure a scholarship to Southern Methodist Univery, after which he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a law degree in 1984. After successfully passing the bar exam, he embarked on a career as a courtroom attorney and was primarily interested in cases where he represented people from his wheelchair.
In 2020, Alexander brought out his memoir entitled Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung, a title referring to the time he spent as a struggling learner who wanted to get rid of the aid machine for only three minutes – a challenge he compared to the training of a dog.
One of the Last Iron Lung Users
Medical technology is on an upward trajectory, and that is why most polio survivors have changed to modern ventilators. However, Alexander was always loyal to the iron lung; this is the reason he stated that it was more comfortable and reliable than a ventilator. It can be said that until the day he passed, he was one of the very few people who still used the device in the world.
Optimism was the deepest feeling that Alexander had, even though he went through a lot of hardship. During different interviews, he used the repeated phrase, “My life is incredible.” The only things he mentioned that contributed to his longevity were his never-give-up spirit, faith, friends, and the care he received from caregivers.
A Legacy of Courage
The powers of the human spirit’s resilience are vividly exhibited in the story of Alexander. It is difficult to comprehend the kind of determination he had to be alive and live life to the fullest after dealing with such difficulties. At a time when polio is making a comeback in some regions, his life also highlights the importance of vaccination, a medical breakthrough that has nearly eradicated the disease.
Even though the iron lung has become a thing of the past, Paul Alexander’s legacy still lives on—a symbol of an individual’s ability to accomplish something through his indomitable spirit and determination.
