Paul Alexander
Paul Alexander, The Iron Lung Man, Dies at 78: Triumph Over Hardship
The Remarkable Journey of Paul Alexander: Living Victoriously Despite Struggles
Throughout life, people lose out on opportunities, give up before facing difficulties, and, most frequently, they just make up irrational justifications for their errors. In this article, we will follow the journey of a man whose dictionary did not include the word excuse and whose life would appear to most people to be a tragedy.
Some people might even prefer death to such a life, but this man’s struggles through such adversity could serve as an example for those who offer justifications for their own losses.
According to reports, Paul Alexander, who was one of the last people to live in an iron lung, died at the age of 78. After contracting polio at the age of six in 1952, he quickly lost the ability to move most of his body and became dependent on an apparatus called an iron lung, which helps people who have weak respiratory muscles breathe. Despite these challenges, Alexander pursued higher education, established a thriving legal career, and authored published works. Remarkably, he spent over seven decades dependent on the iron lung.
According to Guinness World Records, Alexander has the record for the longest time spent living in an iron lung. Behind this limitation, which earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records, he has missed out on many opportunities to feel like a human being. As he stated in a TikTok video,
“I love the sun, but I haven’t felt it in a long time. It’s lonely,”.
Consider a person who has not lived a typical life but whose accomplishments are remarkable and far more admirable than those of many ordinary people.
Alexander was among the first homeschoolers in the Dallas Independent School District. He learned to memorize instead of taking notes. At the age of 21, he became the first person to graduate from a Dallas high school without physically attending a class when he finished second in his class at W. W. Samuell High in 1967.
Alexander was accepted to Southern Methodist University on a scholarship. He transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1978 and a Juris Doctor in 1984. Before being admitted to the bar in 1986, he worked as a legal terminology instructor for court stenographers at an Austin trade school. Wearing a three-piece suit and an adapted wheelchair to keep his body upright, he represented clients in court.
In January 2024, Alexander created a TikTok account and began posting videos there about his life. He had over 330,000 followers at the time of his death.
Paul Alexander’s life serves as a powerful message to those who find themselves making excuses and shying away from the pursuit of their goals. His unwavering determination and relentless pursuit of success, despite facing unimaginable challenges, underscore the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. His example reminds us that excuses only limit our potential and that true fulfillment lies in overcoming obstacles and striving for greatness, regardless of the odds.
Another quote of his, “Disability need not be an obstacle to success,” highlights his resilience and determination to overcome challenges.
In the remarkable life of Paul Alexander, we witness the triumph of resilience over adversity. Despite the challenges of living in an iron lung, he refused to yield to despair, achieving groundbreaking educational milestones and a distinguished legal career. Through his TikTok videos, Alexander’s message of hope touched hundreds of thousands, leaving an enduring legacy of perseverance and inspiration.
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