The family of American Paul Alexander, who contracted polio when he was a boy and then lived for 70 years inside an iron lung machine, said that he died on Monday at the age of 78.
His brother, Philip, wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday: “It was an honor to be part of the life of someone who was loved, inspired and influenced millions, and this is not an exaggeration.”
Alexander was 6 years old when he was placed inside an iron cylinder covering the entire body, known as the iron lung, in 1952, after he contracted polio.
Polio is a sometimes fatal disease that affects tens of thousands of children annually.
The iron lung uses pressure to push air into the lungs.
“He was remarkable,” his brother wrote. “He loved good food, wine, women, long conversations, learning and laughter.”
Alexander, who was residing in the US state of Texas, obtained a high school diploma when he was 21 years old, and was helped by a teacher who supervised his education for years.
He also obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in 1978, then obtained a law degree in 1984. He passed the bar exam and was practicing the profession. He gained a wide following on social media as he told stories from his life.
Alexander was infected with Covid-19 last February and received medical care in a hospital, before doctors decided that his health allowed him to leave the hospital.
Covid-19 left him weak and he was vulnerable to dehydration, according to a spokesman on the TikTok app, on which Alexander had more than 300,000 followers.
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