Without a doubt, the person I look up to most in life would be Robert Wadlow. Also known as Alton Giant or Giant of Illinois. He was born on February 22, 1918 and passed on July 15, 1940. He died at a very young age, he was only 22. He was born in Alton, Illinois,United States and was the son of Harold Franklin Wadlow and Addie Johnson. Eighteen days before Robert passed he was measured at 8 ft 11.1 and weighed 485 lb. Surprisingly he showed no indication of his growth stopping even at the time of his death. This abnormal growth was caused by hypertrophy of his pituitary gland. As Robert aged his size began to take a toll on him. He needed leg braces to walk, and had slight feeling in his legs and feet. Even with all these disabilities he still was never confined to a wheelchair. Robert was also a very famous man, he went on tour with the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1936 and also went on a promotional tour with the INTERCO. Death was a subject that was never even a factor in the mix of his problems. He died during a professional appearance at the Manistee National Forest Festival from anything but the obvious. A faulty brace irritated his ankle, causing a blister which made a subsequent infection. Doctors treated him with a blood transfusion and emergency surgery, but his condition eventually worsened and he passed away on July 15, 1940. At his funeral there was an estimated 40,000 people and he was buried in a 10 foot half ton casket.
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