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Martha Lillard, last American to use iron lung, dies at 78
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk at WSB-TV (ABC) - News
· July 9, 2026
· 3 min read
Martha Ann Lillard, an Oklahoma resident and the last person in the United States who had to rely on an iron lung, died on June 26. She was 78. Read more trending newsAccording to her obituary, Lillard, a lifelong resident of Shawnee, died of long-haul COVID-19.Lillard contracted polio in 1953 on...
Key takeaway Lillard contracted polio in 1953 on her fifth birthday, two years before Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was officially declared safe and effective, KFOR reported.
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Category: local ·
Published: July 9, 2026 ·
Source: WSB-TV (ABC) - News ·
Reading time: 3 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Martha Ann Lillard, an Oklahoma resident and the last person in the United States who had to rely on an iron lung, died on June 26. She was 78. Read more trending newsAccording to her obituary, Lillard, a lifelong resident of Shawnee, died of long-haul COVID-19.Lillard contracted polio in 1953 on...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 9, 2026 by WSB-TV (ABC) - News and curated for The Atlanta readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk at WSB-TV (ABC) - News. To learn more about how The Atlanta selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Atlanta, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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