The mother of a 16-year-old Michigan boy has to spend thousands of dollars on special shoes for her gigantic son, who holds the world record for having the largest hands and feet of a living teenager.
Eric Kilburn Jr., whose feet measure 13.5 inches, currently wears a US size 23 shoe, while his hands measure 9.13 inches. according to the Guinness Book of Records.
The teen’s size easily exceeds the average adult male, which is a shoe size 9 and a hand length of 7.4 inches.
“I’ve been taller and bigger than any other kid since I was in preschool,” said Eric, who stood a towering 6’2″ when he was just 14.
Eric Kilburn Jr., whose feet measure 13.5 inches, currently wears a size 23 shoe in the U.S., while his hands measure 9.13 inches, according to Guinness World Records.
The teen’s size easily exceeds the average adult male, which is a shoe size 9 and hand length of 7.4 inches.
“I’ve been taller and bigger than any other kid since I was in preschool,” said Eric, who stood a towering 6 feet 10 inches when he was just 14.
The teenager found it difficult to buy shoes when he was in fifth grade. His shoes had to be custom made and cost upwards of $1,500 a pair.
The staggering price of Eric’s shoes prompted his mother, Rebecca Kilburn, to consider whether her son’s unique measurements could qualify him for a world record.
She hoped that if Eric achieved the record, the family could attract companies willing to make shoes that would fit the teenager.
Once Eric stopped wearing size 22 shoes, thousands of calls were made to different shoe companies to see if they could make a size 23 shoe for him.
“A lot of them said, ‘You have to be a college or professional athlete, we’re sorry we can’t help you,’ so we went to the media,” Eric explained.
Under Armour and Puma offered to help the teenager, and he also received a boost from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.
“Shaquille O’Neal came up to me and gave me several pairs of shoes, like sneakers or fancy boots, all kinds of stuff,” Eric said.
The new shoe options boosted Eric’s confidence and allowed him to feel closer to his friends and peers at school.
The teen found shoe shopping a challenge when he was in fifth grade. His shoes had to be custom-made and cost upwards of $1,500 a pair.
Eric found that sports like basketball and football were a place for him to use his size to his advantage.
“I love inspiring people to be themselves and not hide behind something,” Eric said. “It’s okay to stand out. Don’t let negativity distract you from your goals.”
“You wouldn’t think that something as small as having shoes and different types of shoes to choose from would be so impactful, but that’s absolutely what I’m seeing,” Eric’s mother said.
He noted that all the attention sparked some negative comments online and that Eric “At first it was very difficult for me to cope with that.”
“Seeing his confidence just from being able to walk into school with cool shoes and having his friends and classmates say ‘look at those, they’re cool,’ you see him swell with pride, and that’s something money can’t buy,” she added.
Eric found that sports like basketball and football were places where he could take advantage of his size, saying, “Combined with my height, I’m an excellent blocker for all types of shots in sporting events.”
Although his size gives him an advantage in sports, he says he regularly suffers from joint, back and neck pain.
Eric said being featured in the Guinness Book of World Records “feels surreal” as the teenager read the book growing up.
When Eric stopped wearing size 22 shoes, former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal sent the teenager large packages filled with clothes and shoes.
“You wouldn’t think that something as small as having shoes and different types of shoes to choose from would be so impactful, but that’s exactly what I’m seeing,” Eric’s mother said.
“Seeing his confidence just from being able to walk into school in cool shoes and having his friends and classmates say ‘look at those, they’re so cool,’ you see him swell with pride, and that’s something money can’t buy,” Eric’s mom said.
Companies have reached out to Eric to make shoes for the growing teenager.
“It makes me feel very proud in many ways, I’m very happy that she achieved this world record, it’s not even close to her best,” her mother said.
Eric told Guinness World Records that his family’s unwavering support has been an inspiration.
“My mother has shown me that you can do anything, even in difficult times. Her strength and the way she takes such good care of my brother and I, and also cares for others while working towards her goals, is very inspiring,” he said.
Eric told Guinness World Records that his family’s unwavering support has been an inspiration.
The record holder hopes to continue educating and inspiring people by getting involved with the non-profit organization, The Big Shoe Network, founded by his mother.
“My mom has shown me that you can do anything, even in difficult times,” Eric said.
She hopes to get involved with the nonprofit founded by her mother, The Big Shoe Network, which aims to help those struggling to find clothes and shoes in their size.
“I love inspiring people to be themselves and not hide behind something,” Eric said. “It’s okay to stand out. Don’t let negativity distract you from your goals.”
