Robert Pershing Wadlow - 2 m 72 cm - 8 feet 11.1 inc
"Guinness World Records" refers to the tallest man in the world of American Robert Pershing Wadlow.
He was born February 22, 1918 in Alton (USA). The second name was given to him in honor of General Pershing, who at that time participated in the First World War. Robert grew up very quickly, and in five years he wore clothes that could carry a 17-year-old boy.
All members of his family (he had two brothers and two sisters) had normal growth. He wanted to live a normal life, fond of photography, was a good student, joined the Boy Scouts organization. Robert loved his mother, Addie, for which he received the nickname "Gentle Giant".
In 1933, Robert received a birthday card to the largest that ever gave Alton post office. It had dimensions of 14 by 22 inches (about 35 by 59 cm). At age 18, he had to sew clothes, which is three times the size of the largest of the standard.
In twenty years, he participated in a promotional tour of the International Shoe Company. His father had to change the family car and remove the front passenger seat to Robert could sit back, stretching his long legs. Father and son drove to 300,000 miles a day. For this company supplied him with free shoes. When in July 1940, Robert was in Michigan, on his feet (on the ankle he had a special metal ring, without which he could not move) from naterany developed blisters and his body got clear infection. After medical care and blood transfusion infection development stopped, but on July 15 he died in sne.Telo Robert returned to his hometown. Out of respect for him all the firms of the city were closed at the time of the funeral, which involved Twenty-seven thousand people. The coffin was so heavy that it was carried twelve people. Uedlou parents buried their son's body under a concrete slab because of fears that his body be exhumed for medical research.
"Gentle Giant" has a special place in the history of Alton. He is remembered as a quiet young man who served as an inspiration to all those who knew him. In 1980, the Museum of History and Art Alton opened an exhibition dedicated to Robert Uedlou. In 1984 the townspeople decided to immortalize the memory of Robert, and in 1985 a bronze statue was erected on the campus of Southern Illinois University's School.
In 2000 the BBC made a documentary about the giant, which was shown on the channel «Discovery». Dan Brannan, editor oltonskoy newspaper «The Telegraph» Uedlou wrote a biography titled "The Boy Giant."
Диаграмма роста Роберта Першинга Уэдлоу:
