# Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-09 22:07 UTC · Category: Health

## Executive Summary
Martha Lillard, the last known American polio survivor reliant on an iron lung, has died in Oklahoma at age 78.

## Intelligence Brief
Martha Lillard, identified in coverage as the last U.S. polio patient using an iron lung, died at age 78 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She had lived with the effects of a childhood polio diagnosis for decades.


Reporting from outlets including AP News, STAT, The Guardian, and CNN focuses on her status as the final individual in the United States to utilize the iron lung device. Coverage notes that Lillard's death follows reports that her machine had begun to malfunction and faced maintenance challenges.


Future developments regarding the preservation of the historical iron lung technology or specific details concerning the circumstances of Lillard’s passing remain unstated by current sources.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield News-Sun | Obit Martha Lillard | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxPMGNjSWE0RS0xbDVlZXhhVmdUbXNkZWdPdnM5ZHJLejdXbTFWMjlSYWlCQ3BZcTQya2Mxa1AtR1AybEh1UE5oeWRLZGVSSXg3R3g2SHlCeUJsRC1JRTA0YkVSeFd6RGtNeld3eGxWZ1ZLUnk3ZVRlbHVlT3VvdnNhNDYtQXJoU2JaaE90UWpZamxnUFFEVmZlYUR4NGpVeUpCUTIwcw?oc=5) |
| STAT | Martha Lillard, last U.S. polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPQnU0aUJtUGNzY1NEdFQ2U2VzcThUN01jQTRPQkg0UU1ZQVZ3X2Y1aWhiNThCMHVoVmRJdnBnU21ITG5zLTVfM0pRNk5JaTdIN1p2ME5uVDRId1R3RXUxeDFQdmNDTm5td0U2TFByOHJQUHJqVUIyNGJoRVhNcHc5YXRpOEhlM2RQcmJIQmVWYmV2UQ?oc=5) |
| The Independent | Last US polio patient using an iron lung to survive dies in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxNbDlibWFiR0E3ZjlvWHBoSHhJSno0OXBZOGJER29TQjRvcmF2QUt2UGZBWjFNam5kQVpCSmlsb2w0R0J6QmszSkk4SGhYYy1TdWlEbkxkX2dCYnBqc1hocUxXbkk1aFF4RWswQTV1SDZLczJwZkhFVGVaN3pBWlRwQnI4M19kZw?oc=5) |
| WMTW | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxNdGR1Tkx2cVkxOTNDYlNwdmVXR1U3R21Oa3d4MXJybHNPSUwzZXpWb090SzRuc2I2VFBlYnBDdjdxYkE3R1dSMng4eEtVbDlPR2ExOHpnTjMydjFOWmx0Q3F5SHViMDBFZEUwdTlSUUNqRnRzUVU0Tk8taVFTZGxraVFDLTNqS3FOVi1Gbnd6NTZpdUk?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | Martha Lillard, last known US polio survivor using iron lung, dies aged 78 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxNWmF5eVQ4LUJLZ0Z5dTAxSHVUdk9KOVRvSmNlOGJfZ3J2R1Y4WGVZOVpHT0VXY3dhQjRCMGlkYmFsUi0wd1ZUU2lTV0VEMVVjU0Z6endDZlh6ZHd1SDhrRHlYTEVNRGpoblV6d3Q0UWhWdkZyNFhNa21xNzQ4dUR0TTA4bVV4eWsyNnluVE5kOWVLM1hQODI2QmxFLTBsa1k?oc=5) |
| KCRA | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxPd2prTW1SM0RJLUIzN2JldmF4M3o0VDRPYUhJaFZNN2hsb3kwMXY2dUMxMjJiYW5yLUtzOXp4RHlkVURVUl9XZXdQOExUczFYb1NPVkFrc01yR0J3MFVfWDgyaEpmUHhhVGNUdWFoN1QyWHRfRmZ1WUVaSWdGSEgtc0NQS2NOajVxOHc4Q1lISVB3a2c?oc=5) |
| The Times of India | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixwFBVV95cUxPZi1ja1Y2cHVBMVJYSVUzbHR0VnVkN0RpNHNCUjlxUHFfQ3JTUE9qdm1PQy1OUl9OVmVjb1lGTXZXUUpjbnFpT0RTb2pNdHBuZHdnSzMtMW1BNjlSamQzUmxVQ0NvSXlmTVpDdmtidjA5dzhsYWhDbHVBU3ZYM0l3WXV6QTZjZFJ0WnlWamZPTjUxd21YTEtWd015NjVPLVlkeTlpM1RwWER2cDdCb0UyZ1BTSWFoSnh4YzlCd2tweHZWcUJJUm1F?oc=5) |
| Fox News | Last American to use an iron lung dies at 78 years old after childhood polio diagnosis | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQZjdDSnYtYXlVUzVRMUluQVg0TWJwR2N4QnEzcld6RTFjU0ZwMUx4RUdrZWhSbXdldHdXV2tWOEFuTVljUnRNMHdCVmhLUXpJQnhnUllqQVhJWnNWQVowZXdrclA3d0FXZlcyc2pIYVFvaHQ3d3EwSHp4MzlydlZBZ09valhYQUdORW1UZGFaYUlDVmwya0t0SDNaVkx5cXU2M0E3dtIBqgFBVV95cUxPNHFUNnZVZEFpcDQzc2tQZUtDN2RmaS1JZlhhNFhqNDhEMU1wU3lpV3pHWkJWUmVSbTNRT0JKdFRScFpRRDJIT0Q5RzE2ZlNtUGRhMkZoWVlRWTZwT1E3cVhUZkhEOFNCMnQ1U3pfOGZJSEw5elAxNFRHUUlWU29UclZhQWRPMDQxZDg2c2xseHZ4cXl4R1dtYk83VG9PREFSR2NoSWZQSGZ3QQ?oc=5) |
| ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxQR0dJRjBNcF9VOWVack14dzRsRDdwRkoxSDludFF2REJfZjlFMUdsdXllb05FOURxbkFuRGJpUERPa01SZk51S1loV2E2M3UxRm5pQWJCYWRUMjFjNlRoWFgtMFRCLU5PQ2x4c1VTN3I2eWV6VHBVRFRERmxjMkFmNWtsaWJJZlBuaEhvc3FFcXZ1WUnSAZgBQVVfeXFMTU9yb1RUdWVxT3ZwSGpzWjQyaGVlYVV0ekdFenZwQVpJRFhUNmFSbDJlM21QNkk0YjBPQjM1ZlhaNnJtSmtFaG5DMzVjVEpkSFNVS2lKS3VxNDVZSGNsVmdQOFVNUEl0X2lzRGxRM2ZFeVltNUhTYVMycllvdk9WUDJVQ3VGYnRCN1FRMmVOQXlwdk5aVU5WMlA?oc=5) |
| KFOR | Oklahoma woman, the last American in an iron lung, dies at 78 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxQXzE2M3pZVGd3cFlWVVdGV3E1Z0M4SFhPYm1aRVBDMHYtRm5fWFZKY2gwUE5YbklXdjVoNm1ZQldaVVNDaUJzSWV3SzRady1YVnJtM3loYnJjcWM3OVAzRXVtNVZDYVVOaDk5NTd3UnllYUN3dEdjT3ZSSjBpMi02LTVrM1ZVaEpnbWNiem55X2g3Zw?oc=5) |
| NBC News | Last U.S. polio patient with an iron lung dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQLVBoM3ZDYWt6VXRhSkNqT2VWUlhqaU40TEppRmRkeVpzLWZJeVJLNTBWNUR0MU5JZ0ZiNk1mX0Y3OEhRZEpFYXI2VktldTUxOVI5ZFJZUGhRblVCRGtlckZNZk5jeEk2NE5KejVaVDdNR00zeU5QNVdfeFZYNUd4ZGVwTTluZW9JRHRIcFJReFN2YTR2V29GMVJFdFRfWFJ1NmdKVQ?oc=5) |
| CNN | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidkFVX3lxTE1veWNpNU1xN0xXd3F1R1BQaEs5WFNqWl9BYVd2UklBdUF3dEVtREdHcUFIdERpSW5xNHpraXo3UEVicDY3c0duUnZ0c0pieURDUFlvSFRaRUhJdjIyQ0FiTWZmdkhIZXRHYTBUc0hFcTVTdUxQVVE?oc=5) |
| New York Post | Oklahoma woman Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dead at 78 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitAFBVV95cUxPb2FIelNad0syS04xUkEtcHVhZnFaMUFFeVZ0Q0F4RmJBdDdIZ29JajhnSDFPVkJiX1p1SDVSYS11ZV95Q05mMUFQS1F0ei1yUGpmOU1oU1hHOGFvM0hmRzJya2hSaWFFb2docnNnVG9aaHZ4OHlBRllsbEJJV2V0V192ZjZoMnliMTVxUmZuajQySENPZ3E1SG9iM3liN1FwUHVaMmIxMHYwSEFaQXAteFRMY04?oc=5) |
| Cleveland.com | The remarkable life story behind America’s last iron lung user | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqAFBVV95cUxPaHh4LWdULWJkVEFDSFlRbXlfX1dRamx4eENNSXZfeUFaT2pqMkVzZHdJNk5xMlduVlZ3T3hLTmN0TEhXaGY5MHh2c24wa056WWxQdk1GZS01Sm1LN2EwR2JrZDJmWHhLZmNxRm1OWlhoOVk4eHBxcE5nbTR0cnJ3TVR2VENrLWc5SUI5ZTREUTJlT09WRjhEQTg1S0MtUnpJYm81QU56VXHSAbwBQVVfeXFMT2VyVjJjZ0R5b1VvWGV0REs4UGh3bzNHVC1wV1pKS3JJcTRFN3RPYlNXNVRsdV9rVnV3aG9CaEtkdnB5MmFwQUdNRGV3UjhoTVR4b3hFTjRJV3luOUpMUnFVNk1SMmZMODJ5THI1V2xQY2pyek8zX0Zxc054ZlVrQlhfbXJFS3JtV3h4SzN6cFd0ejRNanVxX0liZ2hUQWIzLVhLWjNIMDBrNVF) |
| AP News | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxPWTJTRkFtZlFmNXRPTjJkMlhHZ0RRcm5hYjRhcEdUYTg0NncybnN1UXZCRjBEQVk0TUY0N1Z0d1hzR2Q1RWswU2htcU9OS3ROT250VDFUSEtFRjFkT2IwNDdyYkZ1MXN0NUozZFlkS2JnLVBBYjJBTmJpWFdsZUY1VWRfeWpXVW4tckl0RFU0c2lnbGpiVGx1cg?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-07-09/last-american-polio-survivor-in-an-iron-lung-dies-at-78*