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.
