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The Man Who Never Stopped Growing
The tallest man in history grew every year until he died
A man who never stops growing sounds like the plot of a Stephen King novel or an old Goosebumps book. But this story is not a fictional horror tale, it is a true story that took place in the United States in the early 20th century. The man’s name was Robert Wadlow and thanks to a unique defect in his pituitary gland he never stopped growing until the day he died.
Wadlow was born in 1918 in the United States and over 100 years later he remains history’s tallest confirmed person.
Continuous Growth
Robert Wadlow’s glands would not stop producing dangerous levels of human growth hormone (HGH). This excess production of HGH caused Wadlow to grow quickly from a young age. Instead of shutting off during puberty like most people, Wadlow’s glands continued to produce HGH throughout his life producing astonishing results.
By the age of 8, Robert was taller than his father. By the age of 9 he was strong enough to carry his parents around without breaking a sweat.
Despite his enormous size, Wadlow attempted to live a normal life. He spent time with his siblings, he went to school and graduated high school in 1936. Throughout this time Wadlow continued to grow. At his high school graduation Wadlow measured 8ft 4in tall.
He enrolled in a local college but ended up touring with the Ringling Brothers who featured him in the center ring at their largest events including shows in New York City and Boston. It looked as though Robert Wadlow had a bright future ahead of him. He was hoping to blend circus work and schooling and wanted to eventually become a lawyer.
Unfortunately, behind the scenes his health was starting to fail.
An Early Grave
Human bodies are not designed to grow so large. While Robert Wadlow tried to live a normal life, his body made it difficult. He had circulatory issues and he frequently lost feeling in his extremities. He also had to wear various braces to…
