Andre the Giant had acromegaly, a hormonal disorder that causes the body to overgrow and release hormones that, in Andre’s case, resulted in giantism. But his size helped Andre dominate the wrestling game in the 1970s and 80s. Then she made millions, and she became world famous, and she had a crossover special in the movie The Princess Bride. But towards the end of his career, Andre faced Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III in 1987. André died at the age of 46 in his native France. So, continue reading this article to know about Andre The Giant weight and height, net worth and more.
Biography and Early Life
Andre the Giant is said to have been born as Andre Rene Roussimoff on May 19, 1946, in Coulmiers, a small town in France. However, he weighed only 13 pounds at birth. Although Resling is said to have hailed from Grenoble in the distant French Alps, Andre actually grew up in the small town of Molien, forty miles east of Paris. They had four siblings in total, two older and two younger.
But sometimes to and from school, Andre was given a ride by the then-famous playwright Samuel Beckett, who happened to be one of his neighbors. Andre then dropped out of school when he was just 14 and started working. However, according to his family, it was around this time that his acromegaly became quite noticeable. At just 15 years old, he was nearly 6-foot-6.
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About Andre The Giant
Andre is believed to have had acromegaly, a hormonally complex disorder in which the pituitary gland secretes excessive amounts of growth hormone. But the disorder can cause stunting in children, which happened in Andre’s life when he started growing taller at around 14 years old. Then his head, arms, legs and chest expanded as a result of continuous growth. Andre is known to have worn a size 22 shoe, and in his hands, a regular beer can appear downright miniature (as he showed in a photo that appeared in a 1981 Sports Illustrated profile).
Its size can make its life particularly difficult. Andre once noted, “They make nothing for giants.” In the days of telephone dialing, he needed a pencil to make a call. But he traveled about 300 days a year to wrestle, but when he flew he couldn’t flush the plane’s lavatory and so had to relieve himself in a bucket. Unless he was able to use a van that was customized for him, driving was excruciating. “Many times I had to drive hundreds of miles in the front seat of the car and my back and neck were always stiff.”
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Andre The Giant Weight and Height
Andre’s exact height still remains unknown. However, throughout his wrestling career he was generally described as being about 7-foot-4, but wrestling historians are prone to hyperbole. Also his French passport gives his height in meters which converts to just under 7-foot-2. However, some believe that Andre may have stood at around 7 feet, or perhaps as much as three inches shorter. Andre the Giant weighed over 520 lbs/236 kg. But in the early 1970s, French-born Andre-René Roussimoff was known to be one of the most distinguished men alive.
Andre The Giant’s wife and Children
Despite never registering their marriage certificate in the US, Andre The Giant wedded Jean Christensen. When Jean was working in wrestling PR in 1974, she first met Andre. Their daughter, Robin Christensen, is a wrestler just like her dad. Despite occasional aired and written news articles denouncing her father’s absentee paternity, Christensen had almost no relationship with her father and only saw him five times in her life.
At first, Andre didn’t believe Jean was carrying his child. Even when Robin was born, he resisted accepting her as his daughter. To get Andre to the doctor for a blood test, there was some legal fighting required. It was found that Andre and Jean shared the same blood type.
Andre The Giant Net Worth
However, at the time of his death in 1993, Andre the Giant’s net worth was around $5 million. but, the bulk of his wealth came from his successful career in professional wrestling. Andre the Giant’s net worth would probably have been higher had he not died at age 46. At the time of his death, he was said to be an active wrestler and was scheduled to appear in several high-profile matches.
How did Andre The Giant Die?
André was 46 years old when he died in a Paris hotel room on January 28, 1993 (his death is often incorrectly listed as January 27). But he is believed to have died from congestive heart failure, which was linked to his untreated acromegaly. He was also one of the first wrestlers to achieve mainstream popularity and one of the most recognizable faces in the sport.