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Paul Alexander is a 77-year-old lawyer and polio survivor who has been living in an iron lung for over 70 years. He is one of the last people in the world still using the obsolete device, which helps him breathe by creating a vacuum around his chest.
Alexander contracted polio in 1952, when he was six years old, during a major outbreak in Texas. He was paralyzed from the neck down and almost died in the hospital before a doctor noticed he was not breathing and rushed him into an iron lung. He spent 18 months in the hospital, and learned to breathe on his own for short periods of time with the help of a physical therapist.
He was also one of the first homeschooled students in Dallas, as he could not attend school physically. He graduated second in his class from high school, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He became a lawyer and taught legal terminology to court stenographers.
Alexander is an avid reader and writer, and has published his memoir, Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung, in 2020. He wrote the book using a plastic stick and a pen to tap out his story on a keyboard, or dictating the words to a friend. The title refers to his childhood wish to be able to run outside and play with his dog for just three minutes.
Alexander prefers the iron lung over modern ventilators, which he says are more uncomfortable and less natural. He also says that the iron lung is healthier for polio patients, as it puts less pressure on their airways. He has maintained his iron lung with the help of friends and mechanics, as the manufacturer stopped making them in the 1960s.
Alexander is an inspiration to many people, as he has overcome tremendous challenges and achieved remarkable goals. He is also a reminder of the devastating impact of polio, a disease that has been eradicated in most parts of the world thanks to vaccination campaigns. He hopes that his story will raise awareness and support for polio survivors and for the eradication of the disease1234
