Martha Lillard, Last US Iron Lung Polio Survivor, Dies Aged 78 in Oklahoma

• Martha Lillard, who contracted polio at age five, spent most of her 78 years dependent on an iron lung to breathe
• Her sister said doctors never expected Lillard to live past 20, but she defied the odds with determination and a full life
• People across the world mourned her passing online, calling her a true survivor

Martha Lillard, the last known person in the United States living with polio and relying on an iron lung, passed away on 26 June 2026 in Oklahoma at the age of 78. Lillard contracted polio at just five years old. From that point on, she depended on a cylindrical metal machine that enclosed her body and used air pressure changes to force her lungs to breathe. She slept inside it every night for decades.

Despite the limitations of her condition, Lillard did not simply exist. She attended primary school for two hours each day and completed the rest of her education through private tutoring. Her family made road trips possible by arranging a custom trailer, with her father personally contacting hotels in advance to confirm their doorways were wide enough for the machine. For a period of her life, she even drove a car.

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A life doctors said would be short

Her younger sister, Cindy McVey, told the Associated Press that medical professionals had given Lillard little hope early on. McVey believes the lasting effects of a severe Covid-19 infection contributed to her sister's death. Lillard's death certificate lists chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as the official causes.

The End of an era

Lillard's death follows that of Paul Alexander, a Texas man who became internationally known for living inside an iron lung after contracting polio at age six. Alexander, who earned a law degree, wrote a memoir and created paintings using a brush held in his mouth, died two years ago, also aged 78. The Guinness World Records had recognised him as the longest iron lung patient in history.

Acording to user@ourlove1001, before widespread vaccination, polio was one of the most feared diseases in the United States, paralysing thousands of children annually. Iron lungs saved countless lives during those outbreaks, though they were designed only for short-term use. As vaccination campaigns gained momentum in the late 1950s, the machines were gradually replaced by breathing devices inserted directly into the throat. By 1979, polio was declared eliminated in the United States.

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People who saw the news online were deeply moved

Bigheadbozo aded:

"It breaks my heart to think of the life these people missed out on. I hope whatever religion is true there's a good afterlife or future life for them."

Natalie commented:

"There are many, many people with severe physical disabilities and illnesses who live very fulfilling lives despite struggles and adaptations they need to use to live. Their lives are not any less important and meaningful."

Plankton shared:

"Humans are highly adaptive. I don't know, just stop saying this woman's life was miserable when you have no idea what it was like."

Julianschechter20 wrote:

"RIP, may you have the freedom to move and go as you please now."

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Source: Briefly News