From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Wadlow
Robert Wadlow
Robert Pershing Wadlow He showed no indication of an end to his growth even at
the time of his death.
Early life
Wadlow was born to Addie Johnson and Harold Wadlow
in Alton, Illinois on February 22, 1918, and was the oldest
of five children.
In 1936, after graduating from Alton High School, he
enrolled in Shurtleff College with the intention of study-
ing law.
Later years
Wadlow’s size began to take its toll: he required leg
braces to walk, and had little feeling in his legs and feet.
Despite these difficulties, Wadlow never used a wheel-
chair. On June 27, 1940 (eighteen days before his death),
he was measured at 8 ft 11.1 in (2.720 m) by doctors C. M.
Charles and Cyril MacBryde of Washington University in
St. Louis. Wadlow may have still been growing since this
measurement was taken.
Wadlow was an American celebrity; he was well-
known due to his 1936 U.S. tour with the Ringling
Robert Wadlow compared to his father, Harold Franklin Brothers Circus and his 1938 promotional tour with the
Wadlow (±1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)) INTERCO. He continued participating in tours and public
Born February 22, 1918(1918-02-22) appearances, though only in his normal street clothes.
Alton, Illinois, Wadlow was a Freemason. In 1939, he petitioned
United States Franklin Lodge #25 in Alton, Illinois, and by late Novem-
Died July 15, 1940(1940-07-15) (aged 22)
ber of that year[4] was raised to the sublime degree of
Manistee, Michigan, Master Mason under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge
United States of Illinois A.F & A.M.
One year before his death, he passed John Rogan as
Known for Tallest verified human being
the tallest person ever. Nobody has been confirmed since
Height 8 ft 11.1 in (2.720 m)[1] to have come even within 6 inches of his record, with
Weight 485 lb (220 kg) the exception of John F. Carroll who measured at 8 feet
and 7 3/4 inches in 1959. His shoes still exist in several
Parents Harold Franklin Wadlow locations throughout the US, including the Alton Muse-
Addie Johnson
um of History and Art. They were provided to him free of
charge by a shoe company for which he did promotional
Robert Pershing Wadlow (February 22, 1918 – July 15,
work and appearances.[citation needed]
1940) was the tallest person in history for whom there is
irrefutable evidence. Wadlow is sometimes known as the
Alton Giant or Giant of Illinois because he was born and Death
grew up in Alton, Illinois. On July 4, 1940, while making a professional appearance
Wadlow reached 8 ft 11.1 in (2.720 m)[1][2][3] in height at the Manistee National Forest Festival, a faulty brace ir-
and weighed 439 lb (199 kg) at his death at age 22. His ritated his ankle, causing a blister and subsequent infec-
great size and his continued growth in adulthood was tion. Doctors treated him with a blood transfusion and
due to hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, which results emergency surgery, but his condition worsened and on
in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone. July 15, 1940, he died in his sleep at age 22.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Wadlow
Age Height Weight Notes
0 8 lb 6 oz Normal height.
(3.8 kg)
4 5 ft 4 in
(1.63 m)
8 6 ft 2 in
(1.88 m)
10 6 ft 6 in 220 lb
(1.98 m) (100 kg)
13 7 ft 4 in World’s tallest Boy Scout, averaging a growth of 4 inches (10 cm) per year since
(2.24 m) birth, wearing size 25 (U.S.) shoes.[7]
16 7 ft 10.5 in 365 lb
(2.40 m) (166 kg)
17 8 ft 1.5 in 400 lb Weight is approximate.
(2.48 m) (180 kg)
18 8 ft 4 in 390 lb
(2.54 m) (180 kg)
19 8 ft 6 in 435 lb
(2.59 m) (197 kg)
21 8 ft 9.5 in 491 lb
(2.68 m) (223 kg)
22 8 ft 11.1 in 485 lb At death, Robert Wadlow is the world’s tallest man according to the Guinness World
(2.72 m) (220 kg) Records.[1]
An estimated 40,000 people attended Wadlow’s funer- low. In 2005 Sufjan Stevens recorded "The Tallest Man,
al on July 19. He was buried in a 10-foot-long (3.0 m), half- the Broadest Shoulders" about Wadlow for the Illinois al-
ton coffin that required twelve pallbearers to carry and bum. A picture of Wadlow with his family is featured on
was interred in a vault of solid concrete. It was believed the back cover of the VHS version of the Talking Heads
that Wadlow’s family members were concerned for the music video compilation, Storytelling Giant.
sanctity of his body after his death, and wanted to ensure
it would not be disturbed or stolen.
Height chart
Today
A life-size statue of Wadlow stands on College Avenue in
Alton, opposite the Alton Museum of History and Art. The
statue was erected in 1986 in honor of the hometown na-
tive.[5] Another statue of him stands in The Guinness Mu-
seum in Niagara Falls as well as in each of the Ripley’s
Believe It or Not Museums in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin;
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Orlando, Florida; New York
City; Ocean City, Maryland; San Antonio, Texas; St. Au-
gustine, Florida; Branson, Missouri; Copenhagen, Den-
mark; Genting Highlands, Malaysia; and Hollywood, Cal-
ifornia. A group of six life-size models, made before his
death by artist James Butler, exist, and are shipped and
displayed in replica caskets.[6] Wadlow’s shoe, size 37AA[1]
In music See also
The 1998 song "The Giant of Illinois," by The Handsome • List of tallest people
Family (and later covered by Andrew Bird) honors Wad- • Sultan Kösen, the world’s tallest living man
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Wadlow
[5] Brannan, Dan (2010-07-14). "Wadlow died 70 years
ago Thursday". The Telegraph.
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/
wadlow-42595-manistee-years.html. Retrieved 4
March 2011.
[6] "The King of Giants". The World’s Strangest Mysteries.
New York: Gallery Books. 1987. p. 702.
ISBN 0-8317-9678-2.
Wadlow’s shoe compared to a size 12 [7] Colombraro, Rosemarie (2007). "The world’s tallest
Boy Scout". Boys’ Life (February 2007): 24–25.
Further reading
• Brannan, Dan. (2003) Boy Giant. Alton Museum of
History and Art.
• Fadner, Frederic, assisted by Harold F. Wadlow.
(1944) The gentleman giant; the biography of Robert
Pershing Wadlow. Boston, B. Humphries, Inc.
• Hamilton, Sandra.(1993) Looking back and up: At Robert
Pershing Wadlow, The Gentle Giant. Alton Museum of
History and Art.
• Phillips, Jennifer. (2010) "Robert Wadlow--The
Unique Life of the Boy Who Became the World’s
Tallest Man." Nose in a Book Publishing.
External links
• The Tallest Man: Robert Wadlow later years
• Alton Museum of History and Art article
• Film Footage of Robert Wadlow
• Page at the Sideshow Wiki
• Robert Pershing Wadlow at Find a Grave
• Robert Wadlow Video Video clip on the life of Robert
Wadlow
• The Bronze Statue at Alton, Illinois.
Wadlow’s statue in Copenhagen
• Graveyards.com: Upper Alton Cemetery
Persondata
• Zeng Jinlian, the world’s tallest woman who ever
lived Name Wadlow, Robert
• Brahim Takioullah, current record-holder for the Alternative names
world’s largest feet Short description
Date of birth February 22, 1918
References Place of birth Alton, Illinois, United States
[1] ^ "Tallest Man". Guinness World Records. Date of death July 15, 1940
http://web.archive.org/web/20100319004913/
Place of death Manistee, Michigan, United States
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/
human_body/extreme_bodies/tallest_man.aspx.
Retrieved 2010-03-19.
[2] World’s Tallest Man
[3] Robert Wadlow, World’s Tallest Man, Alton Illinois
[4] Robert Wadlow "worlds tallest man, worlds tallest
mason" Illinois Freemasonry Magazine, Vol. 15, No.
1, Winter 2009 p.5
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Wadlow&oldid=463206238"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Wadlow
Categories:
• 1918 births
• 1940 deaths
• American circus performers
• People from Alton, Illinois
• People with gigantism
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