# Last American Iron Lung User Passes | US News

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7023297/last-american-iron-lung-user-passes-us-news
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7023297/last-american-iron-lung-user-passes-us-news.md
Podcast: [US News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/us-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7023297)
Published: 2026-07-12T18:26:52+00:00
Episode link: https://sources.thednn.ai/2f40d9ef929b5bad
Audio file: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/c5ee6636-e34d-4d8c-960d-003af06c7b6b.mp3
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Duration seconds: 104

## Resource

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: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/2f40d9ef929b5bad

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