Eric Kilburn Jr.’s mother noticed that he had unusually large feet when he was a teenager and began having to spend thousands of dollars to have shoes made specially for him. But his feet were bigger than anyone his age in the world, and so were his hands.
Eric, 16, wears a US size 23 (UK size 22) shoe on his 13.5-inch (34 cm) feet, more than double the average size for an adult male in the US, which is about a size 9. His hands are 9.13 inches, well above the average of 7.14 inches for his age.
These measurements landed him for the first time in the Guinness World Records’ annual book. In the 2025 edition, published on September 12, he is listed as the holder of two records: “Largest hands and largest feet currently in existence for a teenager.”
With the attention that comes with official recognition from an organization known for its database of more than 40,000 records, Kilburn said on the group’s website that he hopes to spread the message to people who feel uncomfortable because they have characteristics that make them different from most of the people around them.
“It’s okay to stand out,” Kilburn says, “but don’t put others down. The people who get put down are usually the unhappiest people in the end. You need to focus on yourself.”
The teenager from Goodrich, Michigan, told Guinness World Records that he noticed his unusual build when he was in kindergarten and was taller than his classmates. By the fifth grade, he couldn’t easily afford shoes or gloves. And by the time he was 14, he was 6’10”, nearly the same height as NBA star Anthony Davis.
Eric’s mother, Rebecca Kilburn, ended up having to order custom orthopedic shoes for her son, costing more than $1,500 a pair, so expensive that she made a public plea for someone to make a pair of shoes that would fit Eric at an affordable price.
“He’s still growing,” Rebecca Kilburn said in a hometownlife.com news story republished by USA Today in March 2023. “Most kids that big and tall at this age have endocrine disorders, but he doesn’t.”
But while she said her son’s “growth spurt has not caused any health problems,” not being able to find shoes that fit Eric has caused serious problems. He’s had six surgeries on his feet to remove ingrown toenails, and, as a freshman in high school, had the nails on his two largest toes permanently removed, hometownlife.com reported.
Rebecca’s appeal for help sparked an online response, with major clothing companies like Puma and Under Armour stepping in to provide him with the custom shoes and boots he needed, which she told Guinness World Records she sees as a welcome change in her life.
“It was so gratifying to see how many people genuinely want to help others,” Eric said. “It’s a great example of the power of positive media.”
Eric is a member of a team, and perhaps not surprisingly for sports enthusiasts, plays on the offensive line for his high school’s tackle football team. He also enjoys basketball, proving that he is “good at blocking” shots in that sport, as well as “good at blocking” players trying to tackle him in football.
He spoke candidly to Guinness World Records about what it’s like to be out in public, noting that he often encounters strangers staring in amazement, whispering, or even asking directly about his imposing physique. While the attention can sometimes be daunting, it has also in some ways made it easier for him to “meet a lot of interesting people.”
It also helps, he says, that he’s surrounded by friends who treat him like “regular Eric,” though sometimes they have fun putting him in their giant shoes.
With guidance and encouragement from his mother and a family friend, Eric applied to the Guinness World Records for the title of teenager with the largest limbs, and the organization, whose records consistently attract worldwide attention, awarded him both titles in June 2023.
Eric said he eventually wants to join The Big Shoe Network, a nonprofit organization started by his mother to help people who struggle to find clothes and shoes that fit.
“I want to help people the same way they helped me when I needed help,” Eric said.