Page 12 - The Gentle Giant - World's Tallest Man
P. 12
On July 4, 1940, during his
appearance at the Manistee
National Forest Festival, a faulty
brace irritated his ankle, causing
a blister which subsequently
developed into a parasitic
infection.
Doctors treated him with a blood
transfusion and emergency
surgery, but his condition
worsened due to an auto-immune
disorder. On July 15, 1940, He
died in his sleep at age 22. At
least 27,000 people attended his
funeral.
He was buried under a vault of concrete because his
parents fear for the sanctity of his body.
Upon the death of Robert Wadlow, his family had almost all
of his belongings destroyed, except his shoes apparently.
They didn’t want collectors to purchase his things to be
displayed as any kind of "freak" memorabilia. He led a
tough and a rather short life but his legacy as a kind-
hearted "gentle giant" remains.
