Tallest Person in The World: Robert Wadlow

Juwariah Subhani
5 min readFeb 11, 2024

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Robert Wadlow, the tallest person in the world, measured 8 feet 11 inches and weighed 439 pounds.

Introduction

The tallest person in the world to ever live is Robert Wadlow of Alton, Illinois. He measured 8 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 439 pounds. His enormous height and weight put pressure on his joints and feet, so he had a difficult life full of accidents.

Wadlow, the tallest person, passed away in 1940 at just 22 due to an ankle blister that developed an infection and sent his body into septic shock. If you want to know who the tallest person in the world is, read the following article.

Early Years: The Beginning

Robert Wadlow, also called The Giant of Illinois, was born in the United States in 1918 to average-sized parents in Alton, Illinois. But as he got older, it became clear that he wasn’t your typical kid.

Robert, the tallest person, surpassed his father’s height of 5 feet, 11 inches, by age eight. Robert grew taller, earning the local title “Alton Giant.”

Robert was unusually tall, but he continued going to school.

Because Robert, the tallest person in the world, was enormous, he needed special accommodations at school, like a specially made desk. Despite this, he graduated from Alton High School in 1936, standing a staggering 8 feet 4 inches tall and still growing.

Even though Robert Wadlow was the tallest person in the world, his extreme height made his daily business difficult, but he remained a model of fortitude and bravery. Sadly, he only lived to be 22 years old before passing away in 1940, leaving a legacy as one of the tallest men in history.

By the way, the tallest person in the world in 2024 will be Sultan Kosen.

The Illinois Giant

Pituitary gland hyperplasia was a complication that affected Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest person.

From a young age, Robert had unusual growth hormones—way more than a normal person.

But as he grew older and taller, Robert, the tallest person in the world, experienced several health issues that worsened. However, as a young boy, he tried to engage in the same activities as his friends.

Setting New Records

At 2.72 meters (8 feet, 11.1) tall, Robert Waldow is the tallest person in the world ever recorded in Guinness World Records history.

Wadlow, who weighed 439 pounds and had 18.5-inch feet, also holds the record for having the world’s largest hands (12.75 inches). Wadlow needed custom shoes for his size 37 AA men’s and ring size 25, respectively.

Achievements of Robert Wadlow

Robert Wadlow gradually grew parallel to John Rogan, the world record holder for being the tallest man. Rogan, born in Tennessee in 1865, was a towering 8 feet 10 inches tall and a legendary figure in the area.

Robert, the tallest person in the world, overtook Rogan in 1940, cementing their status as the two tallest men in history. Robert first gained recognition on a national and international scale through the Ringling Brothers Circus, and his fame as the “Giant of Illinois” grew due to a tour supported by the International Shoe Company. As word got out, the entire country flocked to see the wonder of his extraordinary size.

Facts Regarding the Tallest Giant

  • Robert Pershing Wadlow was Robert Wadlow’s full name.
  • On July 15, the tallest person in the world passed away at 22.
  • Robert Wadlow passed away in his sleep.
  • The record for being the tallest person belongs to Robert Wadlow.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the World’s Tallest Man

Being the tallest person in the world ever recorded, Robert Wadlow experienced advantages and disadvantages due to his extreme height. Let’s investigate the following:

Advantages

1. Robert Wadlow, the tallest person, became famous in his lifetime due to his record-breaking height. He was widely known and the subject of media coverage, which helped him spread the word and raise money for charitable causes.

2. Because of his unusual height, Wadlow, the world’s tallest person, could attend events, make public appearances, and mingle with people from all walks of life.

Disadvantages

1. Due to the strain on their skeletal structure, extremely tall people like Robert Wadlow, frequently experience various health issues, including joint and back problems.

2. For extremely tall people, everyday tasks like getting dressed in the right size or fitting into standard-sized furniture and vehicles can be challenging.

Reason For Death

Robert, the tallest person in the world, needed to use leg braces to help him walk as he got older because he had poor sensations in his legs and feet. The abrasion on one of Robert’s ankles caused by these braces turned into an infection. To fix the problem, the world’s tallest person underwent emergency surgery and received a blood transfusion. However, he died in bed less than two weeks later because he also had hyperplasia, an autoimmune disorder.

Funfact: The tallest person alive today is Sultan Kosen, from Turkey.

FAQs

1. How tall was the tallest person in the world?

Robert Wadlow, was the tallest person on record at 8 feet, 11.1 inches (272 cm).

2. What led to Robert Wadlow’s being the tallest person in the world alive at his time?

An overactive pituitary gland was the cause of Robert Wadlow’s extraordinary height.

3. When did Robert Wadlow, the tallest human, reach his full size?

Robert continued to grow until he passed away at the age of 22.

Learnings

At 8 feet, 11.1 inches tall, Robert Wadlow, the Alton Giant, holds the record for being the tallest person in history. Despite his enormous height, he rose to fame and used his notoriety to support charitable causes by garnering attention and money. He was born in 1918, and an overactive pituitary gland caused his unusual growth.

He broke the previous record for the world’s tallest person in 1940, but his exceptional height came with deteriorating health issues as he aged. Tragically, a blister infection that caused septic shock caused him to die at 22. Robert left a lasting legacy as a testament to tenacity, inspiring future generations with his extraordinary journey through the wonders and difficulties of human biology.

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Juwariah Subhani

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