Andre the Giant Cause of Death, Wiki
When you’re as big as Andre the Giant was, there’s bound to be a lot of legends surrounding your life. From the myth of him having a tiny head to his love for consuming more beer than the average five men could put down together, there’s plenty of folklore that surrounds the WWE superstar. Luckily, HBO’s new documentary and a slew of other recent articles are helping to separate fact from fiction. So, let’s take a look at some of the biggest rumors about Andre and see what we can debunk.
Andre was born with a hormonal disorder called acromegaly. This condition caused his pituitary gland to over-produce growth hormones. The end result was that Andre’s legs, arms, chest, face, and hands all grew at an abnormal rate. He was unable to stop the progression, which eventually led to his death at age 46.
One of the most well-known stories about Andre the Giant is that he refused to get surgery for his gigantism in order to maintain his wrestling career. This is actually true, but it’s a bit misleading. He did have the opportunity to receive treatment for his condition, but he decided against it because he feared that it would interfere with his wrestling career. Regardless, his choice ultimately sealed his fate.
He was a fan favorite from the beginning of his WWWF career in 1973 until just before his death in 1993. He was the most famous and highest-paid wrestler of his time up until that point, earning more than $400,000 in a single year. The Giant was also an accomplished actor, starring in several films and voicing the character of Hulk Hogan in many of the animated films produced by Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation.
The Giant was an unabashed alcoholic who loved to party and drink. He was known to regularly visit taverns where he could chug dozens of beers in one sitting and then pass out on the bar floor. This was a regular occurrence, and the people who worked at the bars knew that they needed to stay clear of him after hours so they didn’t have to clean up his mess.
In addition to his work with the WWE, Andre the Giant was a talented artist and musician who wrote and performed songs. He also acted in films and TV shows, including the movie “My Left Foot” with Daniel Day-Lewis. He was also the inspiration for the video game character Hugo from Capcom’s Street Fighter series. In addition, the 2014 graphic novel Andre the Giant: The Life and the Legend by Box Brown tells his story. He was an unforgettable figure in professional wrestling and beyond. He will be missed by all who knew him.