Some parents are fortunate enough to be recognized due to their children’s fame. In the same way, Harold Wadlow rides on the fame of his son Robert Wadlow. Robert Wadlow was a man who was the tallest person in recorded history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He is also known as the Alton Giant and the Giant of Illinois. Robert Wadlow’s father is Harold Wadlow and Robert was taller than his father by age 8.
Harold Wadlow: Bio Summary
| Name | Harold Wadlow |
| Famous as | Robert Wadlow’s Father |
| Date of birth | 8 November 1892 |
| Parents | Sherman Sylvester Wadlow, Nettie Delight White Wadlow |
| Spouse | Addie Johnson |
| Children | Robert, Helen, Betty, Eugene, and Harold Jr. |
| Died | 25 September 1969 (age 76) |
Harold Wadlow was born on the 8th of November 1892, in Jersey County, Illinois, USA. His parents are Sherman Sylvester Wadlow and Nettie Wadlow. Harold married a woman named Addie Johnson but their wedding date and venue are unknown. Many details about Addie Johnson are still unknown.
Harold Wadlow and Addie Johnson had a total number of 5 children. Their children are Robert Pershing Wadlow, Helen Ione Wadlow Wilson, Eugene Harold Wadlow, Betty Jean Wadlow Brda, and Harold Franklin Wadlow. Harold Wadlow has lived a low-profile life. There are no public records that inform us about his educational background or career.
Harold Wadlow rose to fame as the father of Robert Pershing Wadlow, who was the tallest person in recorded history. Harold Wadlow died on 25 September 1969, in Alton, Madison County, Illinois, USA. He was at the age of 76 years when he passed away.
Harold Wadlow’s Son Robert Wadlow
Robert Wadlow was named Robert Pershing Wadlow after birth. He was welcomed into the world in Alton, Illinois, a small city near St. Louis, Missouri. His date of birth is February 22, 1918. He was the oldest of five children of his parents. He had two sisters, Helen and Betty, and two brothers, Eugene and Harold Jr., all of whom were of average height and weight.
Robert Wadlow is a product of Alton High School. He graduated in 1936 and he was 8 ft 4 in (254 cm) at the time of his graduation. He enrolled in Shurtleff College to study law. He was regarded as the tallest person in recorded history for whom there is irrefutable evidence.
Robert Wadlow’s great size and his continued growth in adulthood were due to hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, which results in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone (HGH). He was also regarded as being very quiet, earning him the nickname “Gentle Giant.”
Robert Wadlow required leg braces when walking and had little feeling in his legs and feet. He never used a wheelchair. He rose to fame after his 1936 U.S. tour with the Ringling Brothers Circus, appearing at Madison Square Garden and the Boston Garden in the center ring (never in the sideshow).
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During his appearances, he dressed in his everyday clothes and refused the circus’s request that he wear a top hat and tails. He traveled for the International Shoe Company, which provided him with free shoes. He saw himself as working in advertising, not exhibiting as a freak.
Robert Wadlow belonged to the Order of DeMolay, the Masonic-sponsored organization for young men, and was later a Freemason. By November 1939, he was a Master Mason under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Illinois A.F. and A.M. One year before his death, Robert Wadlow passed John Rogan as the tallest person ever.
On June 27, 1940 (18 days before his death), he was measured by doctors at 8 ft 11.1 in (2.72 m). On July 4, 1940, during a professional appearance at the Manistee National Forest Festival, a faulty brace irritated his ankle, leading to infection.
He was treated with a blood transfusion and surgery, but his condition worsened due to an autoimmune disorder; he died in his sleep on July 15. Even by the time of his death, there was no indication that his growth had ended. He was buried in his hometown of Alton. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Upper Alton, Madison County, Illinois.
Robert Wadlow’s coffin measured 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) long by 2 ft 8 in (0.81 m) wide by 2 ft 6 in (0.76 m) deep, weighed over 1,000 lb (450 kg), and was carried by twelve pallbearers and eight assistants. All city businesses closed for the funeral, which was attended by tens of thousands of people.
A life-size statue of Robert Wadlow was erected opposite the Alton Museum of History and Art in 1986.
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