Meet the Tallest Man in History, Robert Wadlow, Who Grew to 8 Feet, 11 Inches (VIDEO)

By Eric Corpus, Wednesday, February 05, 2014

I guess you could call this "old news" – the video is from 1936 – but our subject, Robert Wadlow, is still known as the tallest person in medical history. Here, Wadlow is stands 8'4 at the age of 17, towering his 6-foot-tall father, having grown 2.5 inches since he was filmed the prior year.

Wadlow's superhuman growth was due to hyperplasia of his pituitary gland, which produced an abnormally high level of human growth hormone. Into adulthood, his growth showed no sign of stopping. He achieved fame for his size and appeared in numerous tours and appearances around the country.

During one appearance in 1940, he developed a blister from a faulty leg brace, and the blister got infected. The infection spread rapidly, and, despite blood transfusions and surgery, he died in his sleep at the age of 22. He was 8'11 and weighed 493 pounds.