Did you know giants really do exist?
Chances are you're familiar with several stories about giants, including the biblical Goliath who the young lad David slew with a single stone hurled from his trusty slingshot.
According to his description in 1 Samuel 17, Goliath's incredible height was "six cubits and a span". That equates to a mind-boggling 9 feet and 9 inches.
I know, it's hard to imagine a human being ever managing to grow to a height of 9 feet. After all, even the tallest NBA players are over a foot shorter than that.
But truth be told, on extremely rare occasions humans do grow to about that height.
In fact, it happened right here in the United States as recently as the early 20th century! Read on for the story of a truly fascinating man...
Robert Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918 in Alton, Illinois.
At birth Robert was about the same length and weight of an average baby boy, but before long he began growing much faster than usual.
By age 8 he was taller than his father, and by the time he graduated high school he stood an astounding 8'4" tall - and he was still growing!
Robert's excessive growth was due to hyperplasia of the pituitary gland, a medical condition that results in an abnormally high level of human growth hormone (HGH).
His condition was so pronounced that he was actually still growing at the time of his death on July 15, 1940.
Although he only lived a short 22 years, his height of 8 feet and 11.1 inches will most likely keep him in the Guinness Book of World Records for a long time to come.
And now, if you still need proof of the existence of giants, consider this...
If Robert Wadlow hadn't died at such a young age he would likely have ended up being well over 9 feet tall. In other words, a true giant on a scale rivaling the biblical Goliath.
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