At eight feet and 11.1 inches tall, Robert Wadlow was the tallest man who ever lived. Below, we present some interesting statistics about the birth, life and death of this fascinating man who lived an equally fascinating life.
30 Pounds. Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918, and he weighed a very normal six pounds and eight ounces. However, by the time Robert was just six months old, he already weighed 30 pounds! This is twice the weight of an average six-month-old.
5 Years Old. By the time Robert was five years old, he was already taller than his mother and stood at five feet and seven inches tall. Robert had a condition called hyperplasia, which caused his cells to multiply rapidly and at all times, making him grow at an unprecedented pace. By the age of 13, Robert was seven feet and four inches tall, and he weighed 301 pounds. It was then that he set the record for the world’s tallest Boyscout, which he still holds to this day.
9 Inches. Robert’s peak height was 8 feet and 11.1 inches tall. The average elephant is 8 feet and two inches tall, which means Robert would have towered over an elephant. When he was this tall, he weighed 440 pounds.
Size 37. Robert wore a size 37 shoe. His dad had to custom order Robert shoes, as nowhere sold the size he needed, By today’s standards, Robert’s shoes would have cost him $1,700 a pair. He also required three times more cloth for his clothing than a normal-sized person. We don’t even want to know how much that would cost by today’s standards.
22 Years Old. Unfortunately, Robert passed away at the very young age of 22. His condition caused him to endure immense pain just from walking, and his body could not handle itself. He died from a septic blister on his leg that was a result of a poorly formed ankle brace. When he was buried, he had to be buried in two plots because of his height. He has held the title of the world’s tallest man in history for over 70 years now, and he is seven inches taller than the world’s current tallest person. He died on July 15, 1940.