Paul Alexander, popularly known as "the man with the iron lung," died this Tuesday. The information was confirmed in a fundraiser that had been created to raise funds to cover his expenses and medical care. . Alexander survived polio as a child and lived more than 70 years inside an iron lung. "In this time Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author. His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered," wrote the creator of the Christopher Ulmer campaign. . The Daily Mail recalled, "Unable to breathe by himself, he relied on the machine to breathe for more than seven decades - even as new technologies became available.". . The metal structure, known as the iron lung, requires patients to lie within it, properly securing the device around their neck. According to the Daily Mail, "It works by creating a vacuum to mechanically draw in oxygen to the lungs for patients whose central nervous system and respiratory function were affected by polio."
