Paul Alexander had an incredible life. He got paralyzed by polio when he was just six years old and spent most of his life in an iron lung, which is a big metal machine made in the 1920s to help people breathe when their muscles can't do it anymore. Paul was one of the last people in the world using this old machine.
In 1952, during one of the worst polio outbreaks in the U.S., Paul got really sick. His health got worse quickly; he couldn't swallow, hold anything, or breathe well. After an emergency tracheotomy, he ended up in an iron lung, where he stayed for 18 months to recover. At that time, many kids were suffering from polio, and a lot of them died. In fact, the year Paul got sick, almost 58,000 people in the U.S. caught the disease, and over 3,000 died.
At first, one doctor even said Paul was dead, but luckily, another doctor saved him with an emergency procedure. When he woke up in the iron lung, he was scared and confused, unable to move or talk, and didn't know if he was alive or dead. Even with all these tough challenges, Paul didn't give up.
With the help of a caring therapist named Mrs. Sullivan, he learned a breathing method called ‘frog breathing,' which let him breathe outside the iron lung for short times. This little success gave him hope and a bit of freedom. Over time, he could spend more time out of the machine, slowly taking back control of his life.
Paul's strong will helped him achieve amazing things. He was the first person in Dallas to graduate high school with honors without ever going to classes in person. He worked really hard to get into college and finally got into Southern Methodist University after facing many rejections. He was accepted on the condition that he would get the polio vaccine and that a fraternity would look after him. But he didn't stop there; he went on to law school at the University of Texas at Austin, passed the bar exam, and practiced law in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for more than 30 years.
Even though new ventilators were available, Paul decided to keep using his iron lung, the machine that had literally saved his life. He even took it with him when he traveled, bringing it to college and other places, which surprised and inspired everyone around him. When his iron lung almost broke down years ago, he searched through barns, garages, and junk shops for old machines and spare parts to keep it working.
Paul's life showed how strong and brave he was. He typed his own book using a pen attached to a stick, showing that no physical challenge could stop him from reaching his goals. Even though he faced discrimination and discomfort from others when he was younger, he kept going and lived a full and inspiring life.
Paul Alexander died in March 2024. His brother Philip thinks of him not for his sickness, but for his kindness, jokes, and lively personality. They had a strong connection, just like all brothers, filled with love, arguments, and fun times. Paul's story keeps inspiring people all over the world, showing us that the biggest limits are the ones we set for ourselves.
His journey shows that with determination and support, even the toughest challenges can be overcome. Paul Alexander's legacy is one of hope, strength, and the power of never giving up.
