Robert Earl Hughes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Robert Earl Hughes was, during his lifetime, the heaviest human being recorded in the history of the world.

Hughes' excessive weight was attributed to a malfunctioning pituitary gland

Pituitary gland

In vertebrate anatomy the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g , in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a dural fold...

. His chest was measured at 3.15 metres (10.3 ft), and he weighed an estimated 486 kilograms (1,071.4 lb) at his heaviest. At the age of six, he weighed about 92 kilograms (202.8 lb); at ten, he weighed 171 kilograms (377 lb). By the time of his death, he weighed over half a ton

Ton

The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...

.

During his adult life, Hughes made guest appearances at carnivals and fairs; plans to appear on the Ed Sullivan

Ed Sullivan

Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...

television program were announced but never came about. On July 10, 1958, Hughes contracted a case of measles

Measles

Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...

, which soon developed into uremia

Uremia

Uremia or uraemia is a term used to loosely describe the illness accompanying kidney failure , in particular the nitrogenous waste products associated with the failure of this organ....

, resulting in his death. He was 32 years old.

He is often said to have been buried in a piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

case. This error stems from a sentence that appeared in successive editions of the Guinness Book of World Records, which read, "He was buried in a coffin the size of a piano case." His headstone

Headstone

A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...

notes that he was the world's heaviest man at a confirmed 1041 lbs.

External links

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