Martha Lillard, Last US Polio Patient in Iron Lung, Dies at 78
Martha Lillard last US polio patient – Martha Lillard, the last US polio patient to depend on an iron lung for survival, has passed away at 78 years old. Her younger sister, Cindy McVey, confirmed that Martha died on June 26 in Oklahoma. Medical experts had once forecasted she would not live past age 20, yet her resilience carried her through decades. McVey told The Associated Press that her sister’s spirit and determination helped her overcome what seemed impossible.
Living Inside a Machine
At just five years old, Martha Lillard was diagnosed with polio, a condition that would shape every aspect of her life. The illness left her paralyzed from the neck down, confining her to a cylindrical iron lung that operated by cycling air pressure to help her breathe. Her family kept several iron lungs on hand over the years, each one vital to keeping her alive.
School required creative solutions. Martha attended grade school for only two hours each day, with tutors covering the rest of her lessons. She later enrolled at Shawnee High School, where a special telephone system linked her intercom to classrooms so she could participate in discussions. Her father also planned family road trips to Missouri, calling ahead to ensure hotels had doorways large enough for the iron lung to fit through.
Polio’s Impact on America
Before vaccines, polio terrified communities across the nation, causing thousands of paralysis cases each year, mostly among children. The turning point came in 1955 when vaccines became available. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immunization efforts brought American cases below 100 per year in the 1960s and under 10 annually by the 1970s. By 1979, the United States was declared free of polio transmission.
Through dedicated physical therapy, Martha Lillard recovered some movement in her left arm and both legs. She could only move her left arm side to side at waist height, but she managed daily life independently, living alone and preparing her own meals for many years.
A Love Story Online
The internet opened new doors for Martha. She followed news, explored new topics, and found something unexpected—a romance. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Martha joined an online chat room seeking more information. There she met a man living in Egypt. They exchanged messages for over twenty years before falling in love. Martha married Baha Salh in February after he obtained a visa to travel to Oklahoma.
“They were really soul mates,” McVey reflected. “He’s extremely brokenhearted.”
Her Final Chapter
During the coronavirus pandemic, Martha contracted COVID-19 twice. Before those infections, her lung capacity measured less than twenty-five percent. The last five years grew harder as breathing difficulties kept her homebound. For her final two years, she stayed inside the iron lung almost constantly.
McVey described her sister as deeply creative. Martha wrote poetry and composed original songs throughout her life. She even wrote her own obituary, which a local funeral home posted online. Her tribute mentioned volunteering with the Humane Society and her love for Beagles, noting she helped promote animals for adoption on Facebook.
“She was an avid Beagle lover and assisted in animal rescue as a cross poster on Facebook,” Lillard wrote in her obituary.
Martha later updated her obituary to state she “died of long-haul Covid 19,” though McVey verified the official passing date. Medical records list chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as contributing factors. In recent years, her family searched for technicians who could maintain the iron lung. McVey shared a poignant thought about her sister’s place in history.
“But since she’s the last one, we don’t need that anymore,” McVey said through tears.
