Last Iron Lung User Passes at 78 | Bangor News

Martha Lillard, the last known American to rely on an iron lung, passed away at 78 after a life defying odds — diagnosed with polio at age five and told she wouldn’t live past 20, she married her soulmate at 78 and lived fully, creating art, rescuing animals, even writing her own obituary. Her sister blames long-haul COVID, which hit her twice, worsening lung damage already compromised by polio. Once a feared disease, polio was eradicated in the U.S. by 1979 thanks to vaccines. With Martha’s death, the iron lung’s era ends — and the search for someone to repair it? Now obsolete. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e7db2553fcf762aa