Episode
Last American Iron Lung User Passes | US News
- Published
- Jul 12, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 104
- Processing state
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- https://sources.thednn.ai/2f40d9ef929b5bad
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Summary
Martha Lillard, the last known American to rely on an iron lung, passed away at 78 after a life of extraordinary resilience—diagnosed with polio at five, doctors predicted she’d live only to 20. She defied odds, drove, traveled, wrote poetry, composed songs, and even penned her own obituary. Her death, linked to long-haul COVID-19 and post-polio syndrome, marks the end of an era for the iron lung, as her final years were spent nearly 24/7 in the machine—now obsolete, with no one left to repair it. 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/2f40d9ef929b5bad