Episode
The Last Iron Lung Survivor Passes | San Antonio News
- Published
- Jul 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 97
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://sources.thednn.ai/bdea1b9b02154063
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Summary
Martha Lillard, the last known person in the U.S. to rely on an iron lung, passed away at 78 after a lifetime of defying polio’s grim prognosis — diagnosed at age five, doctors predicted she’d live only to 20. Despite spending nearly 24 hours a day in the iron lung for the final two years of her life, she graduated high school, took road trips, drove, found love, wrote poetry, and even penned her own obituary. Her death, likely linked to long-haul COVID complications, closes a chapter on a medical relic that once saved countless lives — and she lived it all with fierce, artistic spirit. 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/bdea1b9b02154063