Long before becoming the beloved Hawkeye Pierce on MAS*H, Alan Alda contracted polio when he was just seven, before a vaccine was available. His parents, including actor Robert Alda, had to perform a painful treatment based on the Elizabeth Kenny method, wrapping his arms and legs in almost scalding hot woolen blankets and repeatedly stretching his muscles to prevent stiffness. Alda recalled that the process was so painful it felt like his parents were practically torturing him, even though they were desperately trying to help him recover. He eventually survived the illness and went on to become one of television's most beloved stars. Looking back at 90, his childhood ordeal remains a powerful reminder of what families endured before the polio vaccine changed countless lives.