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Last US Iron Lung User Dies at 78
11 Jul
Summary
- Martha Lillard, last US iron lung user, died at 78 from long-haul COVID-19 effects.
- She was diagnosed with polio at age 5 and relied on an iron lung for breathing.
- Lillard lived independently, regained partial limb use, and connected globally online.
Martha Lillard, the final American to use an iron lung, died on June 26, 2026, at the age of 78. Her sister, Cindy McVey, attributes her death to the lingering effects of long-haul COVID-19, with a death certificate listing chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as causes.
Lillard was diagnosed with polio at just five years old, necessitating the use of an iron lung to breathe for the next 73 years. Despite predictions she would not live past 20, Lillard embraced life, pursuing education and even driving for a time. She adapted to life with polio, eventually regaining partial use of her left arm and legs, which allowed her to live independently and prepare her own meals.
The internet played a significant role in Lillard's life, enabling her to stay informed, connect with others, and even meet her husband, Baha Salh, whom she married in February 2026. Lillard contracted COVID-19 twice during the pandemic, which exacerbated her pre-existing breathing difficulties. In her final years, she spent nearly 24 hours a day in the iron lung, a machine that is no longer needed following her passing.
