Paul Alexander: The Man in the Iron Lung Who Refused to Surrender Paul Alexander lived a life that defied every expectation. For over 70 years, he depended on an iron lung—a vintage breathing machine from 1928—to survive. Yet, despite spending most of his life inside a metal canister, Paul chose to live boldly and without apology.

He became a lawyer, an author, and an enduring symbol of resilience. “I am not going to accept from anybody their limitations on my life. Not gonna do it. My life is incredible.”
Life Inside the Iron Lung “Is this what death is? Is this a coffin?” Paul recalled asking himself as he adjusted to his new reality.

His only means of survival was the iron lung, which created negative pressure to pull air into his lungs. Paul spent the next 18 months in that machine, recovering as best he could in a world that offered few answers and even less compassion. 1952 was the deadliest year for polio in the U.S.—nearly 60,000 cases were reported, with thousands of children dying. Paul wasn’t just lucky to survive; he was determined to thrive. He remembered overhearing nurses say, “He’s going to die today.” Each time, it only fueled his will to live.

Learning to Breathe Again After his release, Paul began working with a therapist named Mrs. Sullivan. She challenged him to learn “frog breathing”—a technique to temporarily breathe without the iron lung—by promising him a puppy if he could manage three minutes on his own. Within a year, he did it. Eventually, he could spend hours outside the machine.