Last US Polio Patient in Iron Lung Dies at 78
Martha Lillard, the last known U.S. polio patient to rely on an iron lung, passed away at 78, her sister confirmed. Diagnosed at age five, Lillard defied doctors’ predictions of a short lifespan, demonstrating remarkable resilience and a drive to live fully. Despite paralysis, she pursued education, drove, traveled, and even found love online, marrying Baha Salh after a decades-long virtual courtship. Her death, attributed to complications from long-haul COVID-19 and post-polio syndrome, marks the end of an era for iron lung users in the United States.
John Q. Hosedrinker