Paul "Polio Paul" Alexander has died after being admitted to the hospital in February for COVID-19. He was 78.

His death was announced on a GoFundMe page set up by Christopher Ulmer in November 2022 to help pay for his needs.

In an update posted on Tuesday, Ulmer announced that "The Man in the Iron Lung" passed away on Monday.

"His story traveled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered," he wrote.

While Alexander's cause of death was not mentioned, he was admitted to the hospital last month after testing positive for COVID-19, per his social media manager Lincoln's update on his TikTok page.

"... last week, he was unfortunately rushed to the emergency room in the hospital. He tested positive for COVID, which is really really dangerous obviously for someone with his condition. Fortunately, they have an iron lung at the hospital just for him," Lincoln said in a Feb. 27 update.

"He was able to come home this weekend but unfortunately, he's still kind of weak. He still [has] some confusion going around. He's been struggling to eat and hydrate," he continued.

At the time, the update also came with an announcement that Alexander would hold off on uploading videos for a while and a request to pray for Paul's health.

 

Looking back at Paul's life, he brought a lot of inspiration and positivity to many people despite his condition.

In March 2023, he was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving iron lung patient kept alive by a machine for 70 years.

"Paul's resilience remains a testament to willpower, and his experience -- especially in the years of COVID-19 -- is a reminder of the worldwide fight against endemic diseases," said Guinness writer Eleonora Pilastro.

In the summer of 1952, 6-year-old Paul got ill from polio, which eventually led to a life inside an iron lung.

Despite his condition, he was able to earn two law degrees and successfully pass the bar exam. He also spent a career running his own legal practice, representing his clients from a wheelchair.

At age 77, a year before his death, he was the Guinness World Records' longest iron lung patient ever.

Tags: Paul Alexander Polio Paul