The Life, Legend, and Death of Andre The Giant
He was a larger-than-life character that still influences pop culture today.
Andre Roussimoff is best remembered as professional wrestler Andre the Giant. At over seven feet tall, he towered over other men and was a dominant force in the ring. His great size was due to a medical condition known as acromegaly, which is caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland and causes abnormal growth. While today it can be treated with surgery when Andre was younger, there was no such treatment, and he refused surgery later in life as he was concerned about the effects on his career.
Andre was born in France on May 19, 1946, at 13 pounds. By the time he was twelve, he measured six feet three inches tall. After leaving school at 14 (compulsory education in France ended at that age in those days), Andre began working on his father’s farm as a laborer. At the age of 18, Andre moved to Paris to begin his wrestling career.
Andre worked for local wrestling promoters and made a name for himself in the area, wrestling under Giant Ferre. His massive size made him a grand attraction in any arena he performed in. For a man his size, he was very agile, able to perform dropkicks and other maneuvers with ease..
In 1966, he met Canadian promoter Frank Valios, who became his business manager. Under Valios’s guidance…
