Meet the Impossibly Tall Man

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About Thoughty2
Thoughty2 (Arran) is a British KZbinr and gatekeeper of useless facts. Thoughty2 creates mind-blowing factual videos about science, tech, history, opinion and just about everything else.
#Thoughty2
Writing: Steven Rix
Editing: Giselle Hannah Santos

[@comeflynextome94]

From my understanding he was about the kindest fellow you could meet (which is after all why they called him the Gentle Giant). It's a shame he passed at only 22, but considering the fact he kept growing he probably would not have lived into even middle age due to the vast problems that can come with gigantism, esp. to the extreme he dealt with (heart problems, aortic aneurysms, etc.). Rest in peace, Mr. Wadlow.

[@peterwilson4865]

Yeah just the amount of work your cardio system has to do in his situation just to get blood back from his lower extremities to his heart.

[@VinnyLam]

He was just an inch short of 9 feet tall. I wonder what his final height would’ve been if he hadn’t died so young.

[@Forgiveiolord]

@Jennifer 24 Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@stargazer7358]

Is anyone going to tell him that giant is a derogatory term just like midget??

[@kevindube7096]

I grew up with a guy who was 6’ at age 10, and 7’6” by the time of graduation. He constantly had to take medications & undergo brain surgeries in an attempt to limit his growth & lengthen his life. It’s a hard life, not to mention the inconveniences of living in a world that isn’t exactly accommodating to extremely tall people. Understandably it was frustrating when people would comment in amazement about his height. I always felt bad for him but he was a such a consistently good dude with a beautiful spirit, especially considering how aware of a possible early death he was. It’s hard for us shorties to really have empathy because it’s easy to see super tall people as gifted, at best, or a freakish anomaly, at worst; but they do go through a lot & it makes just as much sense to me why those afflicted are often so kind as it would make sense for them to have their fair share of cunty days

[@CliffCardi]

Back in the show biz years, Robert’s favorite stop was the Sequoia national park in California. Seeing just how massive the trees were, it was “the first time he ever felt small”.

[@enel8219]

Cool

[@paulaharrisbaca4851]

Yes, the Sequoia Sempervirens (I know that from watching Hitchcock's "Vertigo") trees put everything into perspective. Knowing they've been around since before Christ was born and just kept quietly living and growing....and they literally have different weather up in the tops of the trees (there's a guy who studies life in the canopy of these giant redwoods, he's got KZbin vids on it). So "how's the weather up there?" actually applies.

[@dogmatcher6662]

Taller men have a lot of erectile dysfunction in younger age, issues having kids, more cancers, more blood clots, more injuries, arthritis, etc

[@rajkolandon5113]

@@dogmatcher6662 ok? Why did you feel the need to share this?

[@petergriffin9828]

@@dogmatcher6662 Ok?

[@johnhunter2294]

My wife met 7' 7" Manute Bol when he was in college playing for the University of Bridgeport. She was so astounded at his size that all she could say was "Are you Manute Bol?" He smiled at her and said "Mother, I am seven feet seven inches tall. Who else could I be?" And Wadlow was over a foot taller than Bol.

[@briandm33]

Yeah. Manute was a really good man. Well Liked and Loved. He does have cousins that are quite tall and same common problems he did standing up or afraid of falling over. I still marvel at Daniel GilChrist from Topeka Kansas. At 7'7 or 7'8 in height now he still has problems with the fear of walking through doors bc he hast duck underneith them in order to get through the door. He said when he was in High School it scared him to duck underneith doorways bc of the foot dropping his head just to get below the door height that was still 6'7 inches in height scared him. LOL! Poor guy. Imagine being a tall guy and scared to walk under a door bc your soo tall.

[@myopinion8062]

@@briandm33 I'm Australia's tallest man at 7foot 2 I live in Adelaide I don't have a tumour just a high growth hormone level I have finished growing if you want to see my story utube Australia's tallest man accurent affair thankyou

[@MrBendybruce]

I want to take a moment to remember my friend Ryan, he died from Giantism as a Teenager, and was well over seven feet tall. He was a beautiful and kind human being, and I will always be grateful for what he did for me when I was young. RIP Ryan.

[@bobloblaw9791]

RIP Ryan 🙏🏼

[@guitarwins1896]

R.I.P. Ryan.

[@MrBendybruce]

I'm amazed at how my rather spontaneous comment has resulted in so many people showing their good side. KZbin comments can so often be so nasty. I'm going to be a bit more specific about what he did for me. I was at a Party, and my Brother had died a year so before (Drugs). I had not really found a way to express my grief because of our complex relationship. At that party I got very drunk and at some point it just all came out. Ryan took me for a walk around the block, and I remember leaning in on this massive dude, as he patted me on my shoulders and told me to let it all out. It was amazing how mature he was, and it was a big moment in my life, where I finally found a way to express what I didn't even know was inside me. A few years later I heard that Ryan had died of a leaky heart valve which they could not stabilize. He did something so special for me, I'm kind of glad that in some small sense, I've been able to acknowledge that publicly. Nearly thirty years later, and I still remember what he did.

[@58jn89]

How tall was Ryan?

[@MrBendybruce]

​@@58jn89 I can't remember his exact height, but he was well over 7 feet tall, and still just a teenager (though wise beyond his years). He did not have any deformities, and everything looked in proportion, but he would just not stop growing, and it cost him his life. I still think of him from time to time. I have to say, I am going blind now, as I have been diagnosed with advanced Glaucoma, but I try hard to count my blessings, for all the good health I have been able to enjoy throughout the years. In the end, time will get us all, so short or long, just enjoy the journey while we still have it.

[@neonlegend683]

This is my hometown! And my grandma went to school with him. We have a statue of him. And ppl always go to visit it. Its great you made a video about him. I heard he was the nicest person ever.

[@TronG33k]

Same. It was unbelievable to learn about. as a kid.

[@MatthewReed-bg2qk]

I played for the River Dragons last summer and was so fascinated when I learnt about this tall fella

[@adrangiertz1292]

Me too!

[@AllStarrKo]

my grandparents knew him as well and have had a picture of them all together hanging in their hallway since my childhood. i love to see more people talking about him lol

[@breakingames7772]

Id be a funny and cruel twist of fate if he had a normal Asians size penis to go along with his body lol. Girls would be very disappointed

[@dignityandstrength9791]

He was from my home town! I love taking people to the memorial statue that is set up in town. Standing beside the life sized statue is always awe inspiring. Thank you for sharing our “Gentle Giant”.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

I think i first learned about him on Ripley's Believe it or Not . I used to love that show.

[@bicivelo]

I’m from St. Louis and have been to that park as well. It’s really beautiful but it’s such a tragic story. There are other documentaries about him as well which are very good to listen to.

[@rosejane8077]

I live in his home town too.!!!👍😎

[@michaelcorrigan6577]

Cool!

[@loganfox6244]

His son used to always come into a restaurant in Arizona I worked at and his son was super sweet too

[@sacredsecrecy9620]

There's a museum in Amsterdam (Ripley's Believe it or not) where you can stand by the life-sized mannequin of Robert Wadrow and it's freaking surreal and intimidating. You never quite get the actual feeling of his enormous height from those pictures alone, unless you stand right next to him. You're like a mouse facing an elephant. Absolutely mind blowing experience. It's crazy how a human being can even get that huge!

[@DamonNomad82]

My grandmother actually got to meet Robert Wadlow in person, as she lived in the same state as he did and was a few years younger than he was. She said shaking hands with him was quite unbelievable, and that he was one of the nicest people she ever met.

[@skunklepew6276]

Sadly only 22 when he died and the infection he had is pretty much treatable these days. I'm sure he never knew just how much he'd be remembered.

[@MCsCreations]

When I was 13 they discovered I had a tumor between the pituitary and another gland which I don't know the name in English... Either way, in December 2nd 1991 I went through surgery to remove it. I probably don't have a pituitary ever since. And I need to take a lot of hormone pills every day. I even had to take shots of growth hormone. I only see with the left 50% of my right eye because of the surgery (zero from the left eye). But I'm alive and well. This year I turn 44.

[@MCsCreations]

BTW, I'm just a bit over 6 feet.

[@Forgiveiolord]

@@MCsCreations Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@clark987878]

Thank you for sharing, happy you're alive and well. God bless you

[@MCsCreations]

@@clark987878 Thank you, dude. Cheers from Brazil. 🖖😊

[@starlet5350]

I pray for your continuous life and continue to see more years! God bless you and may He give you peace and to feel much better in Jesus's Christ's Name! The best is yet to come!♥

[@igitaq]

Growing up, my grandfather always seemed like a tall man at 5'10" but, my grandparents had a picture taken with Robert when he was still younger and not at his peak height. Still, my grandfather looked so short next to him.

[@coatguards8032]

Im just 3 inches shorter than your grandfther. And im so skinny so I look like an Electric Post

[@Forgiveiolord]

@@coatguards8032 Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@jenjones90]

@Insomnia_Gaming back then it was considered tall! My grandad was born in 1911, he grew to be 5'11" and he towered above the other men in his army photos. Also, my grandmother was only 4'8", and most of the people in their wedding photo are closer to her height than his!!!

[@jenjones90]

@Clambert Jamdrip erm....i was talking about the early to mid 20th century. Only 1% of the male population is 6'5" or over even now, if you look at the size of the coffins during ww2 it's pretty obvious that most men were around 5'8" or shorter. I really don't get the point of your comment. My grandfather was born in 1911, as mentioned earlier. He served during ww2 and he was one of the tallest men in his regiment. That's not to say that there weren't men taller than him, but 5'11" back then was considered tall for a man, just like 6'2" is now. And do I look Asian to you? I'm extremely pale and have a Scottish surname?

[@jenjones90]

@Clambert Jamdrip yes...Lang is a Scottish name, originally Germanic. And no, I haven't. It's well documented that people were a lot shorter a century ago than they are now.

[@DamonNomad82]

When she was young, my grandmother, who recently passed away at age 95, actually met Robert Pershing Wadlow. They were both from Illinois, and she was a few years younger than he was. She described him as very friendly, but their interaction was limited to a shared smile and a brief handshake, as there was a crowd of people there.

[@kevinfightsbears]

Robert is literally where the expression "gentle giant" came from

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@isabellaangeline2175]

He died so young. I hope he got to experience a wonderful life and I hope people were as kind to him as he had the reputation of being to others. He really was a gentle giant.

[@myopinion8062]

Are you seroius he died at 22 most of his life he was over 7foot 8 he couldn't go very far or experience nothing

[@garrett3108]

@@myopinion8062 Did you not watch the video? Sad that he died so young, but at 22 he got to travel the country, and experience things many don't in their lifetimes

[@Indigo_Gaming]

Fascinating video. I'm only 6'8, but I already feel like I'm living in a big playground for children sometimes. Doorways, cars, houses, clothes, and theme park rides are often very difficult or impossible for me to use. I could only imagine adding another 2+ feet to that. It's amazing that Robert was so cool-headed and perseverant.

[@jenjones90]

Robert was lucky compared to some with gigantism, you should look up John Rogan, second tallest man ever. He was very ill, couldn't walk or sit up properly. He was an inch shorter than Robert when he died but weighed 105lbs - that is the weight stated on the wiki page so, don't come for me!!!

[@hamiltonchampagne5025]

@@jenjones90 John Rogan was 205 not 110. There's no way in fuck he would be alive at that weight.

[@Jaggededge112]

My son is 6’6” and was always very tall for his age. When he was around 18 months old someone came up to me thinking he was three and told me that he should get speech therapy 😩🙄 fecking annoying.

[@janliebelt6865]

I am only about 6,4, but I know what you mean.

[@lordfingy]

@@janliebelt6865 6 3 Really making me sound short

[@minetieplays2092]

I’m currently 5’11/6’ at age 15, and pretty much everyone on my mom’s side of the family is a good few inches shorter than me, so I always feel a little weird at Christmas or another event like that, but now I have to imagine what this guy felt like

[@briandm33]

A friend of mine and also a cousin was 6'7 inches in height. They both said that their height caused them multiple problems growing up to develop such a slower pace of life than normal height men were. Both men had to have people around them to influence them in their activities due to their structures causeing them to not do anything. My cousin to this day still hates being tall.

[@qui-gonjinn3322]

Can feel ya. 6’3” at age of 16. I would never wish to be on Wadlow’s place.

[@bc1173]

5'11 at 15 isn't much bigger than the average 15 year old.

[@jamesmiller5972]

@@bc1173 yes it is buddy the average height for a 15 year old is 5'6-8"

[@Daniel-rh9pk]

Damn I'm 5'10

[@ariamh823]

When thoughty2 is an educational channel that has fans all around the world and doesn't turn foot into meter:

[@artchic528]

Robert was said to be kind, gentle and very shy. He often found his large size awkward and embarrassing. I think he thought of his large stature as a sort of prison and if he could, he’d have traded all the celebrity and money he had in a heartbeat just to be normal sized. It’s honestly tragic when you think about it.

[@skeepodoop5197]

Fun fact; Robert was among the few people in history to count as a "Large creature" in d&d terms, as Humanoids/Giants that are between 8 and 16ft feet tall count as large, meaning they take up a 2x2 space instead of a 1x1 that medium creatures take up. Also side note; This record is probably going to be Broken sooner or later after permanent colony's are made on Mars, which as you may or may not know has 38% the gravity earth does. The main thing stopping a 9 foot+ human on mars is space issues, which will probably be overcome in time. If Robert lived on Mars He'd weigh a much more managable 166.82 Lbs, which is far less than myself.

[@Lady_Chalk]

I love this comment XD

[@skeepodoop5197]

@@Lady_Chalk Thanks😁👍

[@coatguards8032]

What about the 20 FOOT DEMIGODS? How would they weigh if we say they were High-Normal in the Scale?

[@rautamiekka]

Hmm, wouldn't the heart still have a nightmarish time pumping all the blood ?

[@Forgiveiolord]

@@Lady_Chalk Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@DamonNomad82]

I'm 6'5" and I have to be careful of not hitting my head on doorways in older buildings. I had a childhood ambition to grow up to be over 7 feet tall, but having lived life at my actual height in a short person's world, I now think it's just as well that I didn't get any taller.

[@RareSquid]

6'4 here

[@briandm33]

I'm really glad that you didn't Damon bc with most tall guys they develop a fear of falling or a fear of ducking underneith doors just to get through the door. Can you even imagine your spouce being soo much shorter than you and you have't duck down everytime you do something to show affection torwards her. Height causes soo many problems for people.

[@nevayabrannan9501]

From what I've heard, he was one of the nicest people, which is why I feel so bad. He might of liked being that height, but if not, it was never his choice, and I feel like part of his life (getting his dream job of being a lawyer, maybe even getting a partner, etc) was ruined. Considering he just kept on growing, he wouldn't live to a decent age because of problems with being that tall. so his life really was just a time bomb, ticking away. RIP.

[@danielbradley5255]

One of the best things about Thoughty2's videos is really twofold (in my opinion): not only is he one of the absolute funniest guys to deliver such interesting material but the respect and genuine, heartfelt attitude that is conveyed when serious situations arise always warms my heart. Thanks for reading 😉

[@angryginger791]

You're absolutely right. I noticed that too, but it didn't stand out to me until I read your comment. The internet is full of people who either just virtue signal for attention or have no virtue at all. It is definitely heartwarming to find someone who is genuine. Cheers!

[@jeweliahazelwood264]

I went to college with a young man that was 7' 2" He said his mother was 6'6 and his dad was 6 ft 9 and his brother was over 7 ft as well. Of course, he was there on a full basketball scholarship, even though he admitted himself that he wasn't actually very good at the game. The university provided him with a custom size bed to accommodate his size, while the rest of us were in our dorms with our twin size beds lol he used to stand in my dorm and rest his head against the wall above the door frame. He was quite a nice fellow.

[@dogebydaylight]

did he make it to the NBA

[@meatyogre6892]

An Australian guy perhaps?

[@omegasprinter]

@@meatyogre6892 Luc Longley? ha.

[@41prime_]

Would you have slept with him 😂random question but serious one

[@justadreamerforgood69]

@@41prime_ Haha I knew this question would come 😂

[@Robbiehondros]

Glad your still making videos about 6 years ago I was in the biggest depression stage of my life and all I would watch to calm myself down was your videos. They all would softly put me to sleep for a little. And im so grateful for that. Thank you so much thoughty. You are awesome.

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@DrewFeille]

I recently found a radio interview with Wadlow that had been uploaded to KZbin. I think it was conducted when he was 18. They discussed his life and interests, and he talked about pursuing a law degree. Even though it's only an audio recording, his massive size still comes across. His voice was possibly the deepest unaltered voice I have ever heard. Considering how microphones in the 1930s didn't capture deep/bass tones very well, it can be genuinely difficult to understand him on a first listen without captions.

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@Tokuijin]

Link?

[@KarasuCosplay]

​@@Tokuijin kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4Wkia2Al66CeLMsi=w-kZUJhz6__sVmBe

[@KarasuCosplay]

Yes i agreed with you in the first listen its difficult to good understand what he said😅

[@AwokenEntertainment]

The comparison with Shaq was crazy!

[@kailovhentai2141]

As some one who grew up in Alton I can say that his exsistance definitely had an effect on the community. You can go into Alton and they have a statue that’s life size and even in person and just a statue it’s unbelieveble you can also take a seat amd his custom chair. Not the real one but they made a life size statue of it as well. Check it out someday

[@Skarry]

I landed in St Louis and Alton feels like a sibling city, as such most humans here are very familiar with Robert as well.

[@Manibular]

They've got a lifesize statue of wadlow in every Ripley's believe it or not! and he's huge. Lol

[@edwardofgreene]

@@Skarry Most would consider Alton to be a suburb of St.Louis. Part of the "Metro East". However as suburbs go it is a very old one (for the area) that does a better job than most of maintaining its own identity.

[@Skarry]

@@edwardofgreene I observe this in a similar manner. I appreciate your data point regarding this area.

[@jacobpullen6949]

Yo Alton gang

[@WBDE]

I grew up in Alton, Illinois and my mother (1926 - 2019) grew up in the same neighborhood of Upper Alton as Robert Wadlow (1918 - 1940). Mom always told me that she would often see Robert in the neighborhood and that he always had time to say Hello and to chat for a bit. He was never treated as a freak in his home town and his reputation as a gentleman was well-deserved.

[@jprussmann]

Really cool video, as always. I just wish you'd included the different measurements in metric units as well. Keep up the good work!

[@vociferonheraldofthewinter2284]

My neighbor's son was over six foot at 13 years old. And it was heartbreaking. The problem is that when people see a six foot male, they don't see a 13 year old boy. They see a grown man. So when that 13 year old acts like a 13 year old, people overreact. Imagine a 22 year old doodling on their desk or roughly horsing around in the hallway between class. Or dropping 13 year old attitude when being corrected. This was a SERIOUS problem in school. Mom learned to head it off at the pass when he was just 11 and already looking like an average man-height. At the start of the school year she'd insist on a meeting with his teachers and principle. She'd explain that everyone who looks at him experiences a type of optical illusion and can't convince their brains that what they're seeing is a boy. That strategy worked some, but incidents still popped up where mom would hear of her son's misbehavior then have to ask them to think. What if any other boy had done this common thing? What's the usual punishment? Why is his punishment harsher than the others? Her efforts to teach people to look past what they saw was admirable and one teacher told her that it had changed her entire perspective on her students. She learned to step back and see the total picture. To try to understand the individual and not make a snap judgement based upon physical attributes.

[@windhelmguard5295]

i had similar experiences growing up and while it is undoubtedly true that a thirteen year old is a thirteen year old on the inside regardless of how big he is, it is important to note that thirteen year old the size and weight of an adult male, simply can't be allowed some thirteen year old behaviour, simply because of the damage he could cause. like for example when i was thirteen years old, kids would fist fight, wrestle and generally just do stupid things that could get any of us killed even without an individual of such significant stature thrown into the mix, i was luckily neither a fast, nor an enduring runner, so if i flew into a fit of juvenile rage, i never actually managed to hurt anyone.

[@allspagonia3711]

I’m 14 rn at last year I went from like near 5’8 to 6’1 I’m near 6’4 now it’s growing increasingly annoying to explain how old I am.

[@paulm3967]

@@allspagonia3711 jeez how tall are your parents ? I mean I’m 5’11 ish I turned 16 two weeks ago . Both of my parents are 5’10 and I’m lightskin so my moms entire family are all tall and I’m wondering how tall I can be . Hopefully 6’2-6’4. I do make effort into sleeping , avoiding my phone and eating well .

[@Me-th3gj]

I love that. Thanks for sharing.

[@sidhedanu]

My 14 year old was always in the 25th percentile from infancy, slid into the 50th a few years ago, then all of a sudden he grew 9 inches in 2 years & is wearing men's size small clothes. It gave me whiplash. It will be interesting to see where he ends up. He's already taller than me, & will most likely be taller than his 5'7" dad.

[@Manibular]

Robert Wadlow's life was pretty sad and he'd passed away so young. I had read that he'd suffered through pain a lot from growing so fast. He was always sore and weak. I feel so bad for him.

[@Cutter_Number_30]

I'm glad I got to hear more about this man, size has always interested me, and I am glad you mentioned Angus McCaskill because in my mind he is almost as impressive in his own way. That he grew to be 240kg at almost 8 feet tall with the broadest shoulders ever measured and apparently normal proportions yet absurd strength blows my mind. He was not just a giant but a titan.

[@bjw4859]

That was truly amazing, I have a friend who is 7 feet tall & he not really complained about, but mentioned that he did face difficulties shorter people take for granted, from flying in commercial aircraft, to fitting in normal cars & his favorite nemesis, doorways, but he had a soul of solid gold.

[@AABB-bm9kk]

They actually tried a “Where’s Wadlow?” But as you might guess he was pretty easy to spot 🙂✌️

[@Lady_Chalk]

😝

[@Big_Tex]

It would have to be pics of him standing in a forest lol

[@eliasnilsson6604]

They really could start series with it with a "Everyones standing except Wadlow" and a "Everyones swimming but Wadlow". Oh the missed oppurtunities!

[@RyanNerd]

Take my angry upvote

[@AlanaBananaCanada]

Baaaaahahahahahaahaha

[@iniquity123]

I'm 5' 8" and the tallest human I actually knew was 6' 7" and even though it was "only" an eleven inch difference, he seemed a giant (to me...) I can't imagine someone over 2 foot taller than him !

[@Kat.Evangeline]

Every time I complain about having size 11 feet - I remember an interview with a woman who was 6'7" & size 13 feet. Her boyfriend was over 7 feet tall. Can you imagine how many stares they got when walking in public? So I have zero complaints!

[@hyperslash2144]

im of similar height to yourself and the tallest person i have ever met was a friend of my mothers ex who is 7ft 1, he was a stand in for captain phasma in star wars. though my cousin is also 6ft 9

[@vibingwithvinyl]

I'm 6' 4" (193cm) but I don't really consider myself exceptionally tall. I've been this way my entire adult life, so I'm used to it. I realise I'm tall to most people but I'm not tall enough for it to be bothersome. I do know a guy who's 207cm or just over 6' 9" and he IS tall, so tall that it's a real problem.

[@Forgiveiolord]

@@Kat.Evangeline Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@freedapeeple4049]

Dolph Lundgren is 6'6" and 250 lbs. He is generally regarded as a giant. (he is also a black belt martial artist)

[@JanneWolterbeek]

As a (very tall) European, I am disappointed to see only imperial system being used, not the metric system. I always forget how tall I am in feet, let alone remember how many inches in a foot, etc. Please, next time, in the infographics, add metric system. Thank you! Oh, and I am 2.07 meters tall, plus half a centimeter, to be more precise. (And as a press photographer in the 90s I met Shaquille and he is monstrous in size, only moment I felt small!).

[@speleokeir]

That's 6'10". Being British I use both metric and imperial and am used to converting one to another. The trick is to learn a few 'markers' which give quick and pretty accurate conversions. Here are some that I find helpful: 1 inch = 25mm 4" = 10cm 12" (1 ft) = 30cm (30.5 to be more exact). 3'4" = 1m 10' = 3m 1 mile = 1600m 5 miles = 8km 100 miles = 160km All these figures are approximate, but they're pretty close. For weights: 1 lb = 440g 2.2 lbs = 1kg 100 lbs = 44kg 220 lbs = 100kg We also use stones in Britain (Just to confuse both Americans AND Europeans!😄) 1 stone = 14lbs = 6.2 kg 7st 2 lbs = 100 lbs = 44 kg 10st = 140 lbs = 62 kg 15st 10 lbs = 220 lbs = 100kg

[@howardbaxter2514]

I mean, he was measured in imperial units…

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

who the hell says "im 2.07 meters"

[@MissMoontree]

@My Weird Second Channel With A Pretty Long Name Plenty of people. Pretty normal to write it that way though most people say "I'm 1 (meter) 75". The dot is silent when you write 2,07/2.07.

[@SamuelKorthof]

@@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070 almost every person grown up with the metric system...

[@ZeFroz3n0ne907]

What a great video, well said. A touching tribute to Robert. May he rest in peace.

[@TheMunkeeBone]

Something very profound was said there: "Robert was so tall that the normal rules of life didn't apply to him." That explains why classical and quantum physics can't seem to cooperate.

[@ChatBot1337]

At 6'9, I cant even fathom the difficulties he faced in life. The problems are real.

[@map3384]

I’m 6,4 and it sometimes sucks. Lots of women think tall men are creepy. Try finding clothes that fit you.

[@JackLoyal93]

I've listened/watched a lot of stories about Paul "The Big Show" Wight. Wight also had a tumor on his pituitary gland, and was 6 foot 2 inches by the time he was 13. On The Stone Cold podcast, Wight told the story that (forgive the paraphrase) "while a typical pituitary gland produces between 1 and 5...I'm not sure what the official unit of measurement is.. miligrams? Of human growth hormone a day, mine was producing 91". Wight had the operation to remove the tumor; I don't know when, or at what age he was when he did (and dispite being billed as 7'4" in WCW and 7'2" in his early days of the (then) WWF), Wight himself has stated that he is just a bit over 7 feet tall. That just amazes me to think if 1 to 2mg is normal, and 91mg allowed Wight to grow as big as he is, it's truly scary to imagine how much growth hormone per day Robert's was producing. That poor man (barely even reached the age to qualify as a man (21 in many societies)) probably had growing pains his whole life.

[@JasnoGT]

Excellent. I'm visiting your channel for the "first" time then I realized I've seen your videos before many years ago when you were younger haha. Glad to see your channel is growing. Good content.:)

[@BlackMetalGraffiti]

Lmao that cockroach joke was simply hilarious even the scientific name is pure comedy. I love how you can be educational but a funny bastard at the same time thoughty2.

[@lechanoine9372]

Longipennis means long-winged in Latin

[@eddypuentes6155]

0:32

[@StrangerOnTheWeb]

As soon as I heard a Japanese name I knew it was 🧢

[@cococcom3llow402]

@@StrangerOnTheWeb 💀

[@FleshWizard69420]

Megalovania Longpenis

[@allieeverett9017]

I love how respectful you were of this gentle giant. And as always...that wink...

[@michellsmith4693]

Thanks for being so respectful of him.

[@sburns2421]

My grandfather saw him (I assume in the circus) and said he could take a baseball in his hand and close his hand, you couldn't tell which hand had the baseball.

[@keithweiss7899]

Very good! My grandparents knew Robert. They had a signed photograph of them standing together. They said he was a truly nice, and humble human being.

[@balazsadorjani1263]

USA viewers: wow fascinating, remarkable! Non-USA viewers: wut?

[@lukasjanda43]

30 stone? I get that some people are scared of the metric system and therefore use lbs, but STONES? Really? Anybody able to tell me, how many kgs is a single stone?

[@davethelen4327]

Known about Robert my whole life having got a guiness book of wirld records when I was a kid.Thought your documentry and telling of Roberts life was very informative and complimented the person and showed all there posutive points and how amazing they were.So looking forward to more of your documentries in tge future.Very enjoyable and well done

[@MrGeeMoney1983]

As a kid growing up in Chicago we went on a field trip to the Dr. Scholl's foot museum and they had shoes, a chair and life sized mannequin of Robert Wadlow and it was crazy. I was a fair tall kid in the 5th grade, standing around 5'6 I'm 6'2 now but to barely come to his waist was ridiculous.

[@MaximusBacon]

I went to a “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” in Seattle about 20 years ago and they had one of his shoes along side a replication of him, standing up. Just all around humongous and hard to comprehend.

[@ethanhenrichs5677]

This guy is awesome. I'm writing detective books, and his historical facts and legends, that not much people talk about, really are helping me a lot with ideas.

[@ravenaussie3760]

I was interested in Robert for years, I've always found his story incredible. Thanks for this video.

[@speleokeir]

As a child I was the smallest boy in my year for most of my time at school until my growth spurt hit shortly before I turned 14. At that time I was only 4'8". Over the next two and a bit years I grew 14 inches (36cm) to my adult height of 5'10". During that time I was growing an average of an inch every 2 months. In reality I didn't grow at a steady rate but rather in spurts where for about 2 months or so I'd grow very rapidly and then I'd have about 3-4 months where my body adjusted before another growth spurt. I would out grow my clothes in the space of a few months, so my mother would ask her friends for hand-me-downs from their sons or get me baggy stuff from the charity shops. One month my trousers would need turn-ups and a few months later they were at half-mast round my calves. These growth spurts put huge pressure on my body as my leg bones were growing much faster than my tendons and stretching them to breaking point. I suffered from both Osgood-Schlaters and Severs disease during this time (they aren't actually diseases but medical conditions). My doctor cheerfully told me it was very similar to being stretched on a medieval torture rack and that if the tendons snapped I'd be in plaster for 6 months, have to undergo several painful operations and be crippled for the rest of my life. Not fun. The specialist hospital consultant told me I was the most extreme case of either condition he'd seen in 25 years of practice. Both were painful. The Osgood- Schlaters made my knees throb much like if you've banged your knee cap really hard, except it lasted all day. The Severs was a lot worse. On a bad day it felt like someone had shoved a red hot poker into my achilles every time I flexed my foot or put my heel down. Some days I couldn't even stand as it was too painful. That lasted for over two years and massively restricted my life during that time. I can only imagine the stresses put on Roberts body and suspect he was also in a lot of discomfort for much of his life, poor guy. N.B. I also underwent another growth spurt which lasted about 3 years in my early 20s. This time in bulk, rather than height. I went from a slender 9 stone (126 lbs) to 12.5 stone (175 lbs), all bone and muscle (not fat) with my shoulders widening noticeably and my chest deepening. Fortunately this time the growth spurt wasn't painful or life constricting, although again I kept out growing my wardrobe. On the plus side girls started to pay a bit more attention.😀

[@mikebauer6917]

Clearly he was a man who knew frustration. Imagine trying to cook with normal utensils and pans with hands like that while having to stoop over to boot! How do you even hold a toothbrush, pen or turn a door knob when you’re that huge? He must have had super large buttons, zippers and shoe laces.

[@mombiethezombie7536]

I’m from Illinois and one of the coolest memories I have growing up was this furniture store by my house that had one of his custom built chairs on display. It was so cool to see such an interesting piece of history and see just how big it really was in person.

[@dewman0269]

I worked in an ER about 12 yrs ago and I walked in one of the rooms to tell the patient sitting patiently on the bed that he could come up to the nurses station and the doctor would discharge him...He looked normal enough sitting there but when he stood up I was looking dead in his chest and I was 5'11 at the time...this 44 yr old man was a trim 7'5"... I've never seen anyone that tall and haven't since either...

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!

[@sheldon97sheldon]

I was sure this was going to be his first clickbait, but no, giant is the only way to describe that man.

[@jaymate4556]

Video released 30 seconds ago, this comment, 49 minutes ago

[@sheldon97sheldon]

@@jaymate4556 I'm a patreon. I subscribe for his premium service, because I love his content so much. That allows me early access.

[@Forgiveiolord]

@castela 37 Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@jaymate4556]

@@sheldon97sheldon oooooohhh I see! Thanks for explaining that bro my mind wasn't coping with this 😂

[@RainbowGothQueen]

How have you not heard about Robert Wadlow?

[@poindextertunes]

i really like that this guy was known for being nice as well

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

There are recordings of him speaking on a radio show. He's quite good humored and intelligent, and the sadness of it kind of hits you.

[@toupi4459]

Heya, greetings from Finland and from a long time fan of your content here. Thanks for the work you have done so far. I would ask you to please remember us poor SI metric system users even if we are considered minority by some. Keep up with the good enjoyable content! :)

[@GinaWelsh]

Actually metric is used everywhere except the US, they are the minority.

[@paysonfox88]

I have visited the grave of Angus. That man is by far the largest natural Giant this world has seen in many centuries. He was almost 7 ft 10, without any growth disorder. He's also the world's strongest Man for the 19th century. When pressed on it, even Luis Al Cyr had to admit that Angus was probably stronger than he was. Angus did something that ultimately killed him, but it has not been replicated since. He picked up a ship's anchor that was estimated to be over one ton. He was injured when he dropped the anchor and the flanges struck him. The Guinness book of world records estimates that the ships anchor he picked up was 2,700 lb. There were also stories of him picking up 200 to 300 lb barrels under each arm and running down the street with them. Today's strong man struggle to even carry one such weight.

[@Dhemize]

I've been watching strongman for nearly a decade and I'd say those numbers are accurate. Nick Best holds the world record hip lift at 2535lbs in competition(2791lbs training) so a natural giant could probably do similar numbers in a lift he was very accustomed to. Great piece of history there 👏

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

There's a fine historical novel called Swan (from the 1970s I think) that features the unrequited romance between Angus Macaskill and Anna Swan, who was the world's tallest woman.

[@brutusthebear9050]

@@davidanderson_surrey_bc That's really weird. Who writes romance of people who really lived? Reminds me a lot of "shipping" real people. Like, imagine if I wrote a romance about you.

[@ivantheterrible7696]

@@brutusthebear9050 I'd dislike it, obviously. Far too unrealistic.

[@vincentbasso4903]

I'm not so sure about the records attributed to Angus. Picking up an anchor weighing 2700 lbs. doesn't jive with the current dead lift record of a little 1200 lbs. for example.

[@davidlancaster6941]

My Dad met Wadlow in Missouri. Said he was nice but in pain. Interestingly I'm studying real giants right now. Timely! Thanks Thoughty2! Lvya

[@briandm33]

Yeah. I'm 6'2 in height myself and i tell you guys that I hate issues with the muscles in my feet pulling all the time or muscle aches n pains in my calf muscles due to a pulling feeling. Anything above 6'0 feet tall you have't have a big bed to sleep in or a car thats high enough to clear your head in. I graze my head all the time in my 2015 Nissan Maxima every time I get into it.

[@davidlancaster6941]

@@briandm33 thanks bro. Please be careful.

[@KunKFuPanda100]

It’s cool seeing a random KZbin video about something so close to home. Dude is a legend around these parts

[@stratocat9]

Great video and excellent presentation! Thank you.

[@johnthomason3256]

What a video. I’ve always known about this guy but this was fascinating. You go into so much depth

[@edwardofgreene]

Thanks for this respectful video. I grew up a few miles north of Alton, and this has always been both a sad and proud story for the area. If anyone is visiting greater St. Louis for any reason I recommend checking out the statue in Alton. It is truly something!!

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@eilidhmuir9279]

When you mentioned Angus Macaskill I remembered the tim who met his father, he has a museum about him in Skye, Scotland, which is where a side of my family is from, somewhere down the line they even owned a castle which is called Dunvegan Castle (part of MacLeod estate, my grandfather is a MacLeod) but as I went when I was around 9 I don’t remember that much.

[@johnkemp4922]

I think I have seen almost every footage there is of Robert , A unbelievable Giant and Gentlemen, He will never be forgotten , so sad he left us , he was so Young , RIP RW ☝🏻

[@user-bf5sy5ir6l]

I appreciate the fact that Thoughty2 treated the man with respect throughout the discussion.

[@user-re3ym2rd2g]

Friendly reminder of the existence of metric units and the fact that they are used by more people. Including metric units in this video would be much appreciated.

[@johnnymz]

I remember first reading about him in the Guinness book we had at school. I’m amazed at the stories about what a kind person he was. It would’ve been easy for him to be bitter at everyone always staring or making comments. Seems he took it in stride and didn’t allow it to control him. A truly fascinating story.

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@drhkleinert8241]

Thanks for that vid, man. Its that sad that Wadlow had to die that young because he was afriendly, charming, little shy and really smart young man. And thank you for to explain why its not to expect that some time a more taller man will be here, its not a good choice to die just young only to be "the tallest man ever" or be bit smaller that Robert and live longer. Yes, its impressive to be that tall but see how early the giants had to pass away, Andre the Giant, Matt McGrory or Jorge González... Once i visit a Guiness World of Records Museum in Florida and outside the entrance was a 1:1 Statue of Robert Wadlow. I am 1,82 m (6 ft) but i cant reach my hand on the shoulder of that statue... And in fact Rober Wadlow is the most famous Record in the Book of records and everybody want to read about him or make pics with his model. He will ever be the Nr. 1 at Guiness.

[@Mrnotlonely1]

Growing up two towns away from Alton Illinois, I've seen the replicas of the gentle giant. Huge man, but being gentle and kind is what the Midwest is all about. Imagine the amount of gutters this man cleaned out as a teen lol

[@thetillerwiller4696]

I can imagine 😂

[@charlesballard5251]

I'm in Saint Louis, Missouri just across the river from Alton. A few years ago I made a delivery at a company in the area and the gentleman who signed was the tallest person I have ever met. I didn't ask him how tall he was but he was TALL!!!!! I'm six feet even, and he had to have been in the neighborhood of 2 feet taller than me. Love you vids Thoughtman, keep them coming.

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@flyingtarts5375]

Always something to thoughty about on this channel.

[@markoer]

The world will be better when everyone would finally adopt the universal, scientifically accurate, understandable and meaningful metric system.

[@galatea742]

I had a pituitary gland problem too (it luckily did not affect my growth) but these days they can actually access it surgically through the nose! It may be inconveniently be under a good amount of brain but it is very handily just behind a thin bit of cartilage roughly by your sinuses!

[@coatguards8032]

Doctors used wall hacks

[@Forgiveiolord]

@@coatguards8032 Thought 2 clone kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4fIZGxjo5x2epo

[@DoodleDan]

I almost passed out reading this

[@rubayetrudro4098]

How tall are you now ?

[@ronaldalford5411]

I have a pituitary gland tumor....but thankfully cabergoline pills keep it in check and small. But I do have a big head. Lol

[@CrimsonDeathBed]

I grew up near Alton, IL, I had family that knew his family. I've known of him since I was very young and have always been fascinated by his story. If you ever get the chance to visit his statue in Alton or his life-size mannequin at Ripley's museum, do so. Standing next to it is really astounding.

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@andypartridge800]

Good video. The only thing is that Robert never went to hospital. He received medical care at the Chippewa Hotel in Manistee, Michigan and died there on 15th July 1940. Essentially, the hospital came to him. What a remarkable person he was, in so many ways.

[@cynrik14]

Nice video! Love your storytelling. Though I was constantly switching to google to check what the feet were in cm. Might I suggest you blend in a little bottom note of exactly that for future videos ? Would make viewing a lot more convenient :)

[@martineldritch]

Great vid, thanks. Just thinking that the average male height in Biblical days was about 5'5". Ringo Starr, the shortest Beatle is 5'6". When John Lennon said that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus he was technically correct.

[@HkFinn83]

That’s a myth. People did get much shorter with the advent of the industrial revolution, and that lost height and health is now being regained, but the idea that people have been getting progressively taller forever is wrong.

[@serafinmagic1634]

I wonder how long Robert would have lived with today's medicine. The pitutary gland can easily be accessed through the nasal passages. 2 friends of mine had Cushing syndrome causing cycts removed from their pituitary glands.

[@mystrenula3911]

If modern medicine existed, as the video said he probably would've had the pituitary gland fixed or removed when they first discovered the issue and he could have lived a relatively normal life

[@BlackLig47]

My father isn't particularly tall but he grew up very fast and got a beard very young, so he always tells me how he was treated as if he was already a grow man as a teen, even when he met my mom she wanted nothing to do with him at first because she thought he was already a married man at that point (he had to show her his ID) and that was as a teenager, I can only imagine how terrible it would be to be forced to act as an adult just because your body grew faster than your mind

[@MrMickao]

I'm 46 now but I remember the Guinness book of records that we had when I was a kid and Robert Wadlow was my favorite. I didn't care much about the fastest running man or the first dog sent outer space or the longest beard or the biggest amount of people in a car or spinning a basketball on a toothbrush for the longest duration as these records were only due to patience or practice. Robert wallow embodied (literally) what most people want to be just by nature. But on top of that he looked kind and I'm sure he really was. Although my height never exceeded the norm, I was a tall kid myself because of a precocious growth spurt and I looked 15 when I was 12 so I sort of identified to him to a certain degree. He was to me the brother I wish I had. RIP Robert !

[@PLAYAWORLDRecords]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbUmWOme9qJjLc

[@folgore1]

Excellent vid as always! As a kid, I always ordered the latest Guinness Book of World records so that I could read about the world's tallest or oldest man or the world's "oldest old soldier"! But like everyone else who subscribes to this channel, I appreciate the added details and respect given to these subjects.

[@WaiferThyme]

Giant Macaskill was from my province, Nova Scotia! There are many local legands about his amazing strength. In his 20s , he was a fisherman and one night there was a huge storm that swamped all the fishing boats near his village. While all the other men strugled in groups with ropes and pullies to turn their boats back over, Giant Macaskill calmly walked kver to his boat, picked it up, poured out the water and sat it back down. 🤣 the story goes , the other men were seriously pissed until he offered to do the same for them lol

[@erhopo5171]

I'm so emotional right now. I get the impression that he was a gentle giant. A really sweet person....

[@gerardoLarrain]

Please give us the numbers in cm and kg also!

[@psykonect]

Great video as always but please put the metric system numbers too.

[@etzenhammer]

Love the video. Maybe you could include the metric numbers as well? That would help...

[@donaldpeterson590]

I worked at Ripley's Believe It or Not in St Augustine, FL. There was a mannequin in the gift shop I worked! They had another in the museum. I took at least 3 photos of visitors with him daily! It was cute to see the children's reaction to his size.

[@numberonefan4699]

One of the most interesting videos I have ever seen. I don't know how you do it. I love your content. Thank you 👍

[@klemenkekec7034]

hi! I'm a very big fan of your channel for quite some years now and I have a wish.. could you please add measurements in metric in your videos? just a tiny written number on screen would go a long way. thanks, keep up the good work

[@soundscape26]

Agreed. Can't believe he didn't bother to add the metric system on this one.

[@MdLanguage]

Yeah. I had to stack shoes one on top of the other to have an idea of how tall were the people mentioned in this video. Extremely cumbersome way of measuring people in my opinion. And not all feet are the same size! But I guess it’s an average adult person’s foot. Still. Not very precise.

[@windflowerlulu]

@@MdLanguage lol

[@AlanaBananaCanada]

@@MdLanguage um. Lol.

[@franzliszt4038]

U have google no?

[@RichardCraig]

I remember seeing a little exhibit on him at Ripley's in Branson, MO a long long time ago. There was a lifesize scuplture of him, I think his chair, his shoes, and yeah you can't fully appreciate the size and scope until you see all that in person.

[@axdan_8]

Really interesting video, good editing and narrator! My only problem is that you use the imperial system. Seriously guys, metric system is so much coherent and easier to understand...

[@spineshivers]

I'm 196 cm, dunno exactly what it means in American. I guess a little over 6'4. Been that way since 15, my parents got scared. But then I just stopped and never grew more, although males usually grow till their early 20s. The human body is a wonder. I grew up in a small town and got used to literally looking down at people. I was somewhat marveled when I went to a big city college and started to see some people on the street almost or as tall as me. I even remember seeing someone even taller on the subway once. Could hardly stop myself staring. Imagine other people. 😂

[@lukeskywalker9016]

196 is 6'5. i have a friend with a similar case who stopped growing at 14 years old, (he is 17 now) he always was the tallest in his class and in his friend circle, he is 5'10, but time passed and he got outheighted by most and even i am taller than him (im 13 and 6'1), at least you stopped growing with an amazing height tho

[@howardbaxter2514]

6’4 is pretty good height. Personally, I feel like 6’1 to 6’5 is the ideal height range. You are considered tall by many, and can do many tasks that a tall person can do, but you can still live a normal life with minimal to no issues. Still kinda weird that my friends think me being 6’1 makes me a giant. Then again, they are all sub 5’10 and most are around 5’7.

[@arnoldmorales9189]

I was 5'11 at 13 and 6ft and 14. I pretty much stopped growing after that because I ended up being 6'2.

[@howardbaxter2514]

@@arnoldmorales9189 you lucky bastard. I always wanted to be 6’2. Sadly I stopped growing when I hit 6’1.

[@Tokuijin]

Compared to you, I'm tiny because am 4 foot 11.25 inches tall.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

i remember watching a special on him a while ago and that they had to make special shoes just for his giant feet. He also had severe issues just getting through doorways. His temperament was amazing considering the health issues he faced too.

[@WaterShowsProd]

When Talking Heads released a VHS compilation of their music videos they interspersed the videos with interviews of ordinary people telling stories. They called the video "Story Telling Giant" and featured Robert Wadlow on the cover, mentioning his reputation as being a very kind person.

[@blakecarter1312]

Guy lived a town over from me. Big statue of him and when standing by it you can truly see how tall he was. Massive man.

[@kweenyasmine5324]

I was an RA in college and one of the students on my floor was 7’1”. He even had a custom bed put in his dorm. He was a good kid too!