DALLAS — A Dallas man who spent more than 70 years in an iron lung after a childhood polio diagnosis has died.
Paul Alexander, who was 78, died Monday, according to his obituary with the Grove Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park.
Christopher Ulmer, who organized a GoFundMe fundraiser for Alexander in recent years, also confirmed his death, sharing a message from Alexander's brother, Philip.
“I am so gratitude to everybody who donated to my brother’s fundraiser," Alexander's brother said in the message posted on GoFundMe. "It allowed him to live his last few years stress-free. It will also pay for his funeral during this difficult time. It is absolutely incredible to read all the comments and know that so many people were inspired by Paul. I am just so grateful.”
The GoFundMe for Alexander raised more than $143,000.
Alexander's story gained international attention when The Guardian, based in London, published an extensive profile about him in 2020. By early Wednesday morning, numerous British news outlets had posted about Alexander's death, followed by coverage from national outlets in the U.S.
WFAA featured Alexander in a story in 2017, when his iron lung had to get fixed after it started to malfunction.
"I count myself to be just that, a survivor," Alexander told WFAA at the time.
The Guardian piece from 2020 delved into how Alexander came down with polio in the summer of 1952. He was playing outside when he started to feel unwell.
"He didn’t feel well – his neck hurt, his head pounded," the story said. "Leaving his muddy shoes in the yard, he walked barefoot into the kitchen, letting the screen door slam behind him. When his mother looked up at his feverish face, she gasped. She made him run out and grab his shoes, then ordered him to bed."
But Alexander's condition only worsened and his parents ultimately took him to Parkland Hospital, where the polio ward "was overwhelmed," The Guardian story detailed.
Alexander woke up three days later in an iron lung, where remained he mostly remained for the rest of his life. Through the years, Alexander was able to get out of the hulking breathing machine for hours at a time, and he didn't let it stop him from living life: He went to SMU and then the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a law degree.
"His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world," Ulmer wrote on the GoFundMe. "Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered."
He's survived by his brother, Philip, a niece and nephew. A visitation is set for 6 p.m. March 19 at Grove Hill Funeral Home at 3920 Samuell Boulevard in Dallas, followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. March 20.