Paul Alexander was only six years old when he was stricken with polio, which left him paralyzed from the neck down.
He was rushed to Parkland Hospital in Dallas and underwent an emergency tracheotomy, but was left in an iron lung machine where he spent most of his life.
Paul didn’t let the iron lung slow him down and during his life he’s been on planes, lived alone, fallen in love, prayed in church, visited the ocean and even been in a strip club.
In fact, Paul from Dallas, Texas attended two universities including the University of Texas, Austin and pursued his dreams of becoming a litigator.
Paul Alexander, 77, of Dallas (pictured) is one of the few people around the world who still depend on an iron lung to help him breathe
But Paul didn’t let the iron lung stop him from living a normal life, he pursued his dream of becoming a lawyer and even got engaged once
While studying at university, Paul met a woman named Claire, to whom he eventually became engaged. However, Paul’s mother opposed the relationship and even forbade her daughter to marry him.
Paul heartbrokenly found out after calling Claire to find her mother on the other end of the line and ban her daughter from ever speaking to him again.
The polio survivor, now 77, told The Guardian it took him “years to recover from that.”
Since his relationship with Claire ended, Paul may not have found marriage, but found Kathy Gaines, who has been his caretaker since he graduated from law school.
Paul’s brother Phil described their relationship as a “marriage” and said she is his “arms and legs.”
Paul took years to heal from his first breakup and while he hasn’t found marriage, he’s found caretaker Kathy Gaines who has stayed by his side
“Paul has always been aggressive about things he wants and needs around other people,” Phil said.
“He’s quite demanding. But Kathy is more demanding than him. They’ve had their moments, but they always come out.’
Although Gaines is registered blind as a result of her type 1 diabetes, she has been caring for Paul for over 30 years.
She stays by her side wherever he goes and makes sure she sees him every day.
In 2019, Paul’s health declined and he spent five months at Clements Hospital in north Dallas and Kathy made sure she visited him every day.
Paul may not be married to Claire, but his attitude remains positive no matter what life throws at him.
At 77, he is one of the last people in the world still using an iron lung, relying almost exclusively on it to breathe.
In a 2020 interview with filmmaker Mitch Summers, Paul said he never gave up on himself despite his circumstances.
He said, “It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your past is or the challenges you may face. You can do absolutely everything. You just have to feel like it and work hard.’
Paul has even published his own memoir entitled “Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung.”
The 155-page memoir was painstakingly put together and took five years to complete; Paul wrote each word with a pen on a stick in his mouth.