Paul Alexander lived in an iron lung for 70 years after he contracted polio when he was six - but that didn't stop him from finding a way to breathe unassisted.
Paul passed away on Monday, as detailed by a GoFundMe page set up to cover his medical needs. The fundraising page has been shut down following Paul's passing.
The statement read: "Paul Alexander, ‘The Man in the Iron Lung’, passed away yesterday. After surviving polio as a child, he lived over 70 years inside of an iron lung.
“In this time Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author. His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered."
His life served as an inspiration to many, particularly because he taught himself a new method of breathing so he could spend some time outside of the iron lung.
As documented in his book Three Minutes For A Dog, a physical therapist told the then-young boy stuck in an iron lung that if he could successfully breathe by himself for three minutes, she would buy him a puppy, per the Guardian.
Paul employed a method known as "frog breathing" which involved the conscious effort of gulping air and utilizing throat muscles to facilitate breathing.
As stated by Guinness World Records, Paul mastered the technique meaning that he was able to spend a lot of his day outside of the iron lung and return to it when he needed rest.
Paul was able to live a fulfilling life despite his condition, which included being the first person to graduate from a Dallas school without attending a class in person.
After he passed the Bar exams he would represent his clients in a three-piece suit from a wheelchair, due to being paralyzed from the neck down.
His brother, Philip, led the heartfelt tributes, commemorating Paul's love for life. "He loved wine, good food, and women," Philip wrote in a poignant Facebook post. "It was an honor to be part of someone's life who was as admired as he was. He touched and inspired millions of people, and that is no exaggeration."
Recalling his brother's fame, Philip went on: "If YouTube him, you will see videos made of him in every continent. Friends would tell me all the time how they encountered other people who just brought Paul up in a conversation.
"It personally happened to me at a restaurant on the Amazon river from 2 guys who happened to be visiting from Argentina. Just brought him up when they heard I was from Texas."
Philip went on: "To me Paul was just a brother..same as yours..loving, giving advice, and scolding when necessary, and also a pain in the ass..normal brother stuff. He commanded a room..What a flirt!"
Alexander's cousin, Margaret Moore, also shared a tribute on Facebook, describing him as her "true hero." "I know he is loving freedom of not being in an iron lung," she wrote.
To leave you with Paul's own words, he once said: "No matter where you're from or what your past is, or the challenges that you could be facing, you can truly do anything. You've just got to set your mind to it and work hard."
