Robert Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918, in Alton, Illinois, to Harold Franklin and Addie May Wadlow. He was the oldest of five children and would go on to become the tallest person in recorded human history, standing 8 feet 11 inches (2.72 meters) tall. He is often referred to as the Alton Giant or the Giant of Illinois.
His extraordinary size was caused by hyperplasia of the pituitary gland, a condition in which abnormally high levels of human growth hormone cause rapid and excessive growth. By his first birthday, Robert was already 1.05 meters tall. At age 5, he stood 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 meters) — tall enough that he had to wear clothes made for 17-year-olds. By age 8, he had already outgrown and outweighed his father, measuring 6 feet 2 inches (1.87 meters) and weighing 200 pounds.
Growing up, Robert’s family worked hard to give him as normal a life as possible. His school made him special desks with wooden blocks on the bottom so he wouldn’t have to hunch over in class. He wore leg braces when walking and had little feeling in his legs and feet — a direct result of the pressure his size placed on his body.
His father, Harold, modified the family car so Robert could stretch his legs in the back seat while Harold sat in the front. Despite the constant physical challenges, Robert was known for his calm, gentle nature. He enjoyed photography and playing the guitar — hobbies he eventually had to give up when his hands grew too large to manage either.
By the time Robert graduated from Alton High School in 1936, he stood 8 feet 4 inches (2.54 meters). That same year, he began touring with the Ringling Brothers Circus across the United States. He performed in the center ring — not the sideshow — at famous venues including Madison Square Garden and Boston Garden. The circus asked him to wear a top hat and tails, but he refused, appearing only in his everyday street clothes.
Robert saw himself as an advertising professional, not a spectacle. After his time with the circus, he began a promotional tour for the International Shoe Company. The company provided his footwear for free — a necessity given his US size 37AA shoes — in exchange for promotional appearances. He traveled extensively, always dressed in plain street clothes, and drew enormous crowds wherever he went.
By 1937, Robert was a well-known figure across the country. He traveled aboard ocean liners, visited newspaper offices, and appeared at charity events. Everywhere he went, the contrast between his size and the people around him was striking. Everyday tasks — drinking from a water fountain, sitting at a dinner table, walking through a standard doorway — required constant adjustment.
Despite his fame, Robert remained grounded. He interacted warmly with the public, kept close ties with his family, and maintained a professional approach to his appearances. His physical strength stayed remarkable right up until the final days of his life, even as his height continued to climb past 8 feet 11 inches.
Robert’s death came swiftly and tragically. On July 4, 1940, while performing at the Manistee National Forest Festival in Michigan, a faulty brace caused a serious infection in his ankle. He underwent a blood transfusion and surgery, but an autoimmune disorder caused his condition to deteriorate rapidly. Robert Wadlow died in his sleep on July 15, 1940, at just 22 years old.
His coffin measured 10 feet 9 inches long, 2 feet 8 inches wide, and 2 feet 6 inches deep. It weighed over 1,000 pounds and required twelve pallbearers and eight assistants to carry. He was buried in Alton, Illinois, the city where he was born.
In 1986, a life-size bronze statue of Robert Wadlow was erected opposite the Alton Museum of History and Art. It stands as a permanent marker of his height — 8 feet 11 inches — and serves as a physical reminder of the man who grew taller than anyone in recorded history.
