Dianne Odell, who spent nearly six decades confined to a 750-pound iron lung, has passed away at the age of 61. Despite her physical limitations, she never let her circumstances define her. From within the metal tube that sustained her, she achieved many remarkable feats, including earning a high school diploma, taking college courses, and even writing a heartwarming children’s book called “Blinky the Wishing Star.”
When asked about her life in a 1994 interview with the Associated Press, Dianne said, “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.” Her positive attitude and unwavering spirit were evident throughout her life.
Tragically, Dianne’s passing was the result of a power failure that shut off the electricity, causing the pump that drew air into her lungs to stop. Despite her family’s best efforts, they were unable to get the emergency generator working in time to save her. Dianne had been growing weaker over the past few months, and her strength had simply faded away.
Dianne contracted polio at the young age of three, three years before the discovery of the polio vaccine. Living with her parents, Freeman and Geneva Odell, her home was equipped with an emergency generator specifically designed to kick in during power outages. Unfortunately, on that fateful day, it failed to activate.
Dianne’s family even attempted to manually operate an emergency hand pump connected to the iron lung, but their efforts were in vain. Captain Jerry Elston of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that emergency crews were unable to offer any assistance due to the power outages caused by the stormy weather.
Dianne’s care was managed by her dedicated parents, other family members, and caregivers provided by a nonprofit foundation. Despite her physical limitations, she remained a kind and considerate person, always mindful of others and their well-being.
The iron lung that Dianne relied on was a cylindrical chamber with a seal at the neck. With only her head exposed, she made eye contact with visitors through an angled mirror. She operated a television and communicated using a voice-activated computer. The positive and negative pressure generated by the machine allowed her to breathe by forcing air into and out of her lungs.
Although modern portable breathing devices were available, Dianne’s spinal deformity resulting from polio prevented her from using them. Nonetheless, she could be moved within the iron lung, allowing for some degree of mobility.
In honor of Dianne’s 60th birthday in February 2007, friends and family organized a grand celebration in downtown Jackson, Tennessee. More than 200 guests attended the party, which featured a towering nine-foot birthday cake. Dianne also received letters from people across the country, all expressing their admiration and support.
Dianne Odell’s life serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the refusal to be defined by one’s circumstances. Despite spending a lifetime within the constraints of an iron lung, Dianne touched the lives of many and left behind a legacy of strength, love, and unwavering faith.
