Raised in a small French farming village, Andre lived a quiet, pastoral life as a child. However, his size was an issue almost from the start. Born with acromegaly, a disorder that causes bones to grow at an accelerated rate, Andre stood 6-foot-3 and weighed 200 pounds by the time he was 12 years old. His size having grown to abnormal proportions, Andre opted to turn his situation into something positive, entering the wrestling world at the relatively young age of 18. In those days, the sport was still a regional attraction, and yet Andre managed to captivate audiences wherever he went and become a fan favorite in every territory.