- Robert Wadlow was the tallest man to ever live at eight feet 11.1 inches.
- He had his shoes and clothes custom made.
- He died in 1940 at age 22 from an infected blister due to an ill-fitting brace.
Robert Wadlow was known as the "Gentle Giant."
Despite his dramatic height (eight feet 11.1 inches at his tallest), Wadlow was known as a quiet man, beloved by those in his hometown of Alton, Illinois.
He died in 1940 from an infected blister due to an ill-fitting brace at age 22, but still holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest man ever.
Here are seven surreal photos that show how tall this "Gentle Giant" was.
Robert Pershing Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918, in Alton, Illinois.
At birth, he weighed eight pounds, six ounces.
Due to an overactive pituitary gland that produced high levels of growth hormone, he grew at a rapid rate.
There are ways to treat this condition now, but there were no treatments available in the 1920s.
By age nine, he could carry his father up the stairs of his home.
His father, Harold F. Wadlow, weighed 170 pounds and was five feet 11 inches tall.
He became a local celebrity in Alton — and then a national one.
He spent six weeks touring with the Ringling Bros. Circus.
Robert's father Harold was his manager and accompanied him on a nationwide tour.
He visited schools, theaters and lecture halls after his engagement with the circus.
As an adult, he wore custom-made size 37 AA shoes, and his clothes required three times the amount of fabric as regular items.
At his tallest, Wadlow measured eight feet 11.1 inches.
He died in 1940 at just 22 years of age from a septic blister on his ankle caused by an ill-fitting brace.
He's remembered as the "Gentle Giant" for his quiet demeanor.
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