Martha Lillard, Last Known US Polio Survivor Using Iron Lung, Dies at 78
Martha Lillard, the last known person in the United States living with polio and relying on an iron lung, has died at the age of 78. Lillard, who contracted polio at age five and depended on the cylindrical metal device to breathe, passed away on 26 June in Oklahoma, according to an online obituary.
Life with the Iron Lung
Lillard slept inside the iron lung, which enclosed her body and changed air pressure to force air in and out of her lungs. Despite this, she attended grade school for two hours daily and completed the rest of her education through tutoring. Her sister, Cindy McVey, told the Associated Press: “They told her she wasn’t supposed to live past 20 years old. She had the enthusiasm and the drive to continue living and make the best of her life.”
Cause of Death and Travel
McVey believes a long-term case of Covid-19 contributed to her sister’s death. Lillard’s death certificate lists chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as causes. The family enabled Lillard to travel, taking road trips to Missouri in a custom trailer after her father ensured hotels had doors wide enough for the iron lung. Lillard also drove for a period.
Polio and Iron Lungs in History
During the 1950s, polio outbreaks paralyzed thousands, mostly children, and iron lungs became a symbol of the feared disease. Vaccination campaigns reduced annual US cases to fewer than 100 in the 1960s and fewer than 10 in the 1970s. Polio was declared eliminated in the US in 1979. Iron lungs were intended for short-term use and later replaced by breathing devices inserted into the throat.
Lillard's Own Words
In a 2013 NBC News interview, Lillard described her first moment in the iron lung as “a relief.” She said: “It feels wonderful, actually, if you’re not breathing well. It makes all the difference when you’re not breathing.”
Comparison with Paul Alexander
Lillard’s death follows that of Paul Alexander, who died at 78 in 2024 after spending much of his life in an iron lung. Paralyzed from the neck down, Alexander became a lawyer, author, and painter, recognized by Guinness World Records as the “longest iron lung patient.”
