Nineteen year old Robert Wadlow (height 8 ft 7 in) the tallest person in recorded history, chatting with a friend after appearing at a charity event in Omaha, Nebraska; April 1, 1937

Robert Pershing Wadlow (February 22, 1918 – July 15, 1940) also known as the Alton Giant and the Giant of Illinois, is the tallest person in recorded history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. The Alton and Illinois monikers reflect the fact that he was born and grew up in Alton, Illinois.

Wadlow reached 8 ft 11.1 in (2.72 m) in height and weighed 439 lb (199 kg) at his death at age 22. His great size and his continued growth in adulthood were due to hyperplasia of his pituitary gland, which results in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone. He showed no indication of an end to his growth even at the time of his death. (Wikipedia)

Robert Wadlow with his family:

Five months before his death, an image of Robert Wadlow, taken February 23, 1940, in a St. Petersburg, FL, hotel lobby:

Pathe newsreel from 1935, when he was just 8′ 4″:

March 27, 2015 | Categories: History, Human History, Images of History, Photography, Pursuit of Happiness, Weird | Tags: Alton, Alton Giant, AMERICA, black and white photography, Death, Giant of Illinois, History, human growth hormone, human history, Illinois, irrefutable evidence, Military history, Photography, pituitary gland, recorded history, Robert Pershing Wadlow, Robert Wadlow, Society, Tallest man, tallest person, the Alton Giant, the Giant of Illinois, USA, Wadlow, Weird, World Record | Leave a comment