Dianne Odell, a remarkable woman who spent almost 60 years inside a 7-foot-long metal tube known as an iron lung, passed away at the age of 61. Despite her physical limitations, she never allowed her condition to dampen her spirit for life.
From within her iron lung, which weighed a stunning 750 pounds, Dianne achieved incredible milestones. She earned her high school diploma, pursued college courses, and even authored a children’s book called “Blinky the Wishing Star.” Dianne once stated in an interview, “I’ve had a very good life, filled with love and family and faith. You can make life good or you can make it bad.”
Dianne’s life came to an end due to a power failure that caused the pump supplying air to her lungs to shut down. Despite the frantic efforts of her family to activate the emergency generator, they were unable to restore power in time. Dianne had grown weaker in recent months, making it impossible for her to overcome this setback.
Contracting polio at the young age of 3, Dianne relied on the support of her parents, Freeman and Geneva Odell, as well as dedicated caregivers from a nonprofit foundation. The Odell household was well-prepared for power outages, equipped with an emergency generator that should have immediately kicked into action. Unfortunately, it failed to start on this fateful day, leaving them perplexed as to why.
Even employing an emergency hand pump attached to the iron lung proved fruitless. “Everyone knew what we were supposed to be doing,” said Dianne’s brother-in-law, Will Beyer. “It just wasn’t working.” Despite the best efforts of emergency responders, the situation was beyond their control due to sporadic power outages caused by storms in the area.
Dianne’s life was drastically impacted by “bulbo-spinal” polio, which struck three years prior to the discovery of the vaccine that effectively curtailed the spread of the disease. Throughout her life, Dianne was known for her exceptional kindness and thoughtfulness towards others. Frank McMeen, president of the West Tennessee Health Care Foundation, remarked, “Dianne was one of the kindest and most considerate people you could meet. She was always concerned about others and their well-being.”
The archaic iron lung that sustained Dianne’s breathing functions resembled those used during the extensive polio epidemics that ravaged the United States in the 1950s. The cylindrical chamber allowed only her head to be exposed while visitors communicated with her through an angled mirror. Dianne ingeniously operated a television set with a small blow tube and used a voice-activated computer for writing.
Modern advancements in positive-pressure airway ventilators made the iron lung obsolete by the late 1950s, granting users greater freedom of movement. However, due to a spinal deformity caused by polio, Dianne’s condition prevented her from wearing a more portable breathing apparatus.
Although Dianne was confined to the iron lung, it was still possible to move her around when necessary. To celebrate her 60th birthday in February 2007, her loved ones organized a grand party at a downtown hotel in Jackson. Over 200 guests attended the event, and Dianne was greeted with a spectacular 9-foot-tall birthday cake. Warm messages poured in from people all across the country, showcasing the impact she had made on so many lives.
Dianne Odell’s unwavering spirit, resilience, and determination serve as an inspiration to us all. She faced immense challenges with grace and made the most of her life’s limitations. Her story reminds us that even in the face of adversity, we can choose to find joy, spread love, and make a meaningful impact on those around us.
