The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Andre The Giant

In the '80s, the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, was a fantastic spectacle filled with classic characters and legendary stories, and André the Giant was the Atlas that held it all together. At over 500 pounds, Andre dwarfed even the largest of his fellow athletes. According to Sports Illustrated, one of his hands could swallow a 12-ounce can of beer and his wrists were thicker than most men's ankles. The Giant dominated wrestling for decades, but he also battled steadily gaining body mass and debilitating health issues. Meanwhile, the strain of fame destroyed him mentally. Here is the

tragic

real

-

life

story

of André the Giant. "He is said to be the greatest, best-paid and best-known fighter in the entire world.

Please welcome André the Giant." The biggest in the business By all accounts, André the Giant was quite the man. In addition to size, he possessed unfathomable strength and a voice deeper than the ocean. "I'm not supernatural, I'm just myself." Born Andre Roussimoff on a farm in the French Alps in 1946, Andre grew to be 7-foot-4, according to WWE, although he was probably closer to 6-foot-11. Andre never lifted weights, but people he knew claimed he could lift trees and overpower thousand-pound cows. For fun, he would occasionally drive his friends' cars between buildings. Making it big Andre left home at age 14 and immersed himself in wrestling at age 16.

In the '70s he was the most renowned wrestler on Earth, according to the Los Angeles Times. Then, in 1973, the father of current WWE owner Vince McMahon called him Andre the Giant. Terry Todd of Sports Illustrated, who traveled with Andre, observed: "When passing through a revolving door, he leans over and takes small shuffling steps to make the door rotate." He bent like a contortionist to fit into taxis, and hotel bathrooms left him no room to bathe. Andre was not only larger than

life

; he was larger than life. The Eighth Wonder Although the WWF dubbed him the "Eighth Wonder of the World," the world orbited Andre like a planet.

The

giant

revealed in an interview: "he would give a lot of money to be able to spend one day a week as a man of normal height." Acromegaly, the cause of his size, gave him an unusual face. And it made him the perfect target for harassment. Hall of Famer Bret Hart witnessed grandmothers "cursing" for refusing to sign autographs. And "bad" Gene Okerlund said the

giant

would "cry" for all the ridicule he endured. Andre finally found refuge on the QVC channel. According to CBS Sports, he allowed her to buy without "attracting unwanted audiences." Running up his bill According to his co-workers, Andre's liver was swimming in an ocean of alcohol.

USA Today reported that former wrestler Gerald Brisco claimed the giant drank six bottles of wine before the fights. And Modern Drunkard magazine reported that he racked up a $40,000 hotel bar bill while filming The Princess Bride. In an interview with David Letterman, Andre admitted: "Is it true that he drank 117 beers in one sitting?" "Yeah." But as CBS Sports revealed, "Andre lived in pain." Years of fighting and arduous travel devastated his body and his disorder caused his bones and joints to thicken, causing him more stress. There were pharmaceutical solutions, but he refused to take them. The Princess Bride When filming on The Princess Bride began, Andre transformed into the lovable Fezzik.

William Goldman, author of the screenplay and the book that inspired it, told CNN that it was the only casting choice he specifically envisioned while he was writing the script. "It's not my fault he's the biggest and strongest. I don't even exercise." Andre was so good in the role that it seemed inconceivable that he wasn't already a Hollywood heavyweight. No Small Parts reported that Andre had played monsters before, but The Princess Bride emphasized his humanity and allowed his personality to shine. His co-star Cary Elwes, who played Wesley, called him "a

real

ly gentle giant" who would "give you the shirt off his back." Twilight of a Titan During his incredible career, Andre fought many beasts.

He knocked out the great Gorilla Monsoon, nearly crushed Harley Race, and defeated Hulk Hogan. But the giant's greatest opponent was time. At age 23, Andre discovered that he could die at 40, according to his friend Jackie McCauley. She told CBS Sports that Japanese doctors offered to operate on him before time was up, but the giant refused. Twenty years later, Andre's knees were buckling and he was becoming entombed in his body. As the Los Angeles Times detailed, in the early '90s, he was immobile. Andre, once a titan who carried the wrestling world, now needed others to do the heavy lifting.

Wrestlemania in heaven In January 1993, Andre returned to France to attend his father's funeral. And on January 27, the giant's sweet heart stopped beating. He was 46 years old. The Los Angeles Times reported that Andre wanted to be cremated and have his ashes scattered at his North Carolina ranch. But no crematorium in France could house a man of his magnitude. Then, best friends Jackie McCauley and Frenchy Bernard flew his body to the United States, where he was reduced to 17 pounds of ashes, according to Bleacher Report. "When you have a true friend like him, that's all you need in this world.

A true friend." Andre named three people in his will: Jackie, Frenchy and his daughter Robin. He signed it not as André but as "A. Roussimoff", a man who caught everyone's attention, but who few people actually saw. Thanks for watching! Click the Grunge icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Plus, check out these other cool things we know you'll love too!