Martha Lillard, 78, died calmly at home in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2026. She had polio since her youth. The disease left her needing a large metal breathing machine called an iron lung. She used the machine for more than 60 years. Doctors later verified her death. No one in the US now depends on such respirators today. The iron lung, once prevalent, is now a rare sight in the United States. Her story serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by polio survivors. She lived through decades of change in respiratory care. She remained in the care of devoted family members. Her courage moved local medical historians. The community remembered her with a intimate gathering. Her life spanned the era from the polio crisis to modern vaccine breakthroughs. She outlived most of her contemporaries. The iron lung that sustained her has become a showpiece.