Buzz
Guinness World Records has officially recognized Robert Wadlow as the tallest person ever documented, with indisputable records to back up the claim. Known as the Alton Giant, he reached a height of 272 centimeters (8'11"), a stature that made him a well-known figure. While being the tallest human ever was remarkable, it was not always a straightforward experience for Robert.
10. He Was an Average-Sized Baby
Robert Pershing Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918, in Alton, Illinois, a city situated along the Mississippi River, not far from St. Louis. His parents, Harold and Addie Wadlow, welcomed their firstborn, who appeared perfectly average, weighing 3.8 kilograms (8.4 lb). With Harold and Addie being of average height, it was no surprise that their subsequent four children were also of typical size.
However, Robert's growth rate quickly surpassed that of an ordinary child. By six months, he weighed 14 kilograms (30 lb), double the weight of a typical infant. At 12 months, his weight had surged to 20 kilograms (45 lb), and by 18 months, he tipped the scales at 30 kilograms (67 lb). By the time he was a toddler, Robert had already reached an impressive 91 centimeters (3') in height.
9. A Truly Enormous Kid
At the age of five, Robert stood an impressive 163 centimeters (5'4") and weighed 48 kilograms (105 lb). By the time he entered kindergarten, his clothes were sized for a 17-year-old. Robert was known for his good behavior and intelligence at school. His main struggle, however, was finding desks that could accommodate his size.
By the age of eight, Robert had outgrown most stores' clothing sizes and became a regular at tailor shops. When he was nine, he was strong enough to carry his father up a flight of stairs. At 10, Robert had reached 196 centimeters (6'5") in height, weighed 95 kilograms (210 lb), and wore shoes in a size 17.5—a size nearly impossible to find in stores in 1928.
At 13, Robert joined the Boy Scouts, becoming the tallest Scout in the world at 224 centimeters (7'4"). His special needs included a custom-made uniform, sleeping bag, and tent. During this period, his daily calorie intake was five times greater than that of other boys his age. By the time he graduated high school, Robert stood at 254 centimeters (8'4") and weighed 177 kilograms (391 lb), towering over his classmates.
8. The Reason Behind His Growth
Just before turning 12, Robert and his family made a trip to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. It was there, at a height of 211 centimeters (6'11"), that he learned the reason behind his extraordinary growth. He had an overactive pituitary gland, producing an excessive amount of growth hormone.
An overactive pituitary gland is most commonly caused by a benign tumor (called an adenoma) that triggers the release of too much hormone. In most cases, these tumors lead to an overproduction of prolactin, but in certain instances, they can cause an excess of growth hormone. Some pituitary tumors do not release any hormones and are called non-secreting tumors.
Today, there are a variety of medical options to treat adenomas, such as surgery or medication. But in 1930, no treatments were available, and Robert’s growth would only continue.
7. The Struggles of Being the Tallest
Being a literal giant was no easy feat. For starters, Robert needed an enormous amount of food. A typical breakfast for him during his teenage years included eight eggs, 12 slices of toast, multiple glasses of orange juice, five cups of coffee, and a large serving of cereal.
From a young age, Robert’s size began to take a toll on his body. His heart worked overtime, pumping blood to the extremities of his long limbs. By the time he was 10, his feet showed signs of poor circulation, turning blue (cyanotic). He had little feeling in his feet, often not noticing minor injuries until they became aggravated and raw.
At 14, Robert suffered a slight stumble while pushing a boy on a tricycle, but the fall was enough to break two bones in his feet. He had to wear an iron brace on the injured leg afterward. As an adult, Robert relied on leg braces to walk and used a cane nearly as tall as an average person. Despite these challenges, he never needed a wheelchair.
Physical challenges aside, Robert lived in a world that wasn’t built for him. He had to sit with his legs straight out at tables, often causing his feet to extend beyond the edge, making them a tripping hazard. Chairs frequently broke under his weight, and he had to stoop to fit through most doors. Ceilings weren’t high enough for him to stand upright, and when staying at hotels, he needed several beds pushed together. Everyday activities like going to the movies were simply not feasible for him.
6. Life as an Adult
As Robert reached adulthood, he continued to grow. By 19, he stood at 262 centimeters (8'7") and was officially recognized as the tallest man in the world. His hands measured 32.4 centimeters (12.8 in) from fingertip to wrist, and his arm span was about 2.9 meters (9.5 ft). His shoe size was 37, or 47 centimeters (19 in) long, and at the time of his death, a pair of size 39 shoes were being made for him. At his heaviest, Robert weighed 223 kilograms (492 lb) and consumed around 8,000 calories a day.
In 1936, Robert embarked on a nationwide tour with the Ringling Brothers Circus. His main source of income came from public appearances. At 20, he struck a deal as a paid spokesperson for the International Shoe Company, which not only paid him but also agreed to make his $100 shoes for free. Robert traveled over 500,000 kilometers (300,000 mi), visiting more than 800 towns across 41 states for the company. He also became a Freemason, likely the tallest one ever.
5. Giant-Sized Necessities
Robert was an exceptionally large man, which meant his everyday items needed to be equally large. All his clothes had to be custom-made, requiring three times the usual amount of fabric. His shoes, while large and costly, presented unique challenges. Unlike his other clothes, the shoes needed special materials to withstand the stress they’d endure and were reinforced with metal parts. Additionally, Robert’s bed at home measured a remarkable 2.9 meters (9.5 ft).
For his travels as a shoe spokesperson, Robert’s father had to modify the family car. They removed the front passenger seat so that Robert could sit in the back, stretching his long legs out. As a result, the seven-passenger car was effectively converted into a three-seater.
In 1937, Robert’s parents made plans to build a house specifically designed for his extraordinary size. The doors were planned to be 2.7 meters (9 ft) tall, with ceilings measuring 3.4 meters (11 ft), and even the stairs were to be 0.6 meters (2 ft) high. The furniture would be custom-fitted to Robert, and he would have had a 3-meter (10 ft) bathtub. However, the plans never came to life, with the bathtub alone needing to be cast at a foundry, potentially costing as much as $1,000.
4. ‘The Gentle Giant’
Robert was known for his quiet, friendly, and good-natured demeanor, earning him the nickname 'The Gentle Giant.' In his free time, he enjoyed hobbies like photography and stamp collecting. However, much of his time was spent facing large crowds.
Whenever Robert ventured beyond his hometown, a crowd of onlookers would quickly form around him, often stepping on his feet as they crowded in. Additionally, his job frequently involved interacting with large groups of people. Robert didn’t mind this attention, and when asked if it bothered him, he famously replied, “No, I just overlook them.”
Despite his patience, certain crowd behaviors did irritate Robert. He disliked questions about his eating habits and grew particularly tired of hearing the cliché, “How’s the weather up there?” When he was 18, Robert shared with a reporter that he hadn’t heard a fresh joke about his height in three years. Occasionally, Robert would use his photography skills during public appearances, secretly snapping photos of the crowds. His large hands could entirely hide his camera, with only the lens peeking out between his thumb and forefinger.
3. Aftermath
Over 40,000 mourners attended Robert's funeral in Alton, with all local businesses closing in tribute. He was laid to rest in Alton’s Oakwood Cemetery, where two grave plots were required to accommodate his size.
Robert’s coffin measured 3.3 meters (10.8 ft) in length, and the 450-kilogram (1,000 lb) casket demanded 18 pallbearers. The coffin extended beyond the hearse, necessitating a black cloth to cover the vehicle’s doors. Concerned about the possibility of his body being stolen for research, Robert’s family had the casket placed in a concrete vault. His tombstone bears a simple epitaph: 'At Rest.'
Following Robert's death, his family took measures to prevent his belongings from being taken and displayed as 'freak memorabilia.' However, some items did survive. In 1985, a life-size statue of Robert was unveiled at the Southern Illinois University of Dental Medicine in Alton.
2. Robert’s Death
On June 27, 1940, Robert's height was measured at 272 centimeters (8'11″) when he was 22 years old and still growing. This would be the last time his height was recorded.
On July 4, Robert took part in the National Forest Festival parade in Manistee, Michigan. The following morning, he had a fever of 41 degrees Celsius (106 °F). A doctor examined him and found that the iron brace he had received just a week earlier had caused a large blister on his right ankle. The blister, which would typically have been painful, wasn’t due to Robert’s reduced sensation in his lower limbs. Unfortunately, the blister became infected and septic.
Due to his size, Robert had to sleep in a hotel since the hospital couldn't accommodate him. He was bedridden for several days as doctors tried to treat the infection. Sadly, despite their efforts, the infection persisted, and Robert Wadlow passed away peacefully in his sleep at 1:30 AM on July 15, 1940.
1. The Court Case
On June 2, 1936, Dr. Charles Humberd visited Robert and his family. The Wadlows reported that he was impolite, leading Robert to refuse both cooperation and an examination. Humberd then wrote a disparaging article about Robert in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
In the JAMA article, Humberd described Robert as “surly,” “apathetic,” “antagonistic,” and “vapid,” among other harsh terms. He portrayed Robert as a resentful introvert, upset by his physical condition, and doubted claims made by various teachers about Robert’s intelligence. Humberd criticized Robert’s attention span, claiming it was “defective,” and argued that “all functions we attribute to the highest centers in the frontal lobes are languid and blurred.”
The Wadlows decided to take legal action against Dr. Humberd for libel. They believed that his negative portrayal of their son was based on superficial observations. In court, multiple witnesses contradicted Humberd’s depiction of Robert. However, the judge ruled in favor of Humberd, stating that it couldn't be proven that the description of Robert was inaccurate at the time they met. The Wadlows chose not to pursue an appeal.
