Tiny Adopted Hometown Honors Towering Son Andre the Giant
Real estate developer Donald Trump holds the World Wrestling Federation Championship belt flanked by Hulk Hogan, left, and Andre the Giant at a news conference, March 15, 1988, in New York. (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, File)
A new tribute is set to recognize one of wrestling’s most unforgettable figures in a place he once called home. A roadside historical marker will be unveiled Thursday in Ellerbe, North Carolina, honoring Andre Rene Roussimoff—better known to fans as Andre the Giant—who lived just outside the small town of roughly 1,000 residents.
During his wrestling career in the 1970s and 1980s, Roussimoff was promoted as a massive and nearly unstoppable force, standing 7-foot-4 and weighing around 520 pounds. He became a defining villain of the sport, a reputation that carried until his famous 1987 showdown with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III. That match is widely credited with helping transform professional wrestling into a national entertainment powerhouse.
Beyond the ring, he showed a softer side on screen, most notably in the 1987 film The Princess Bride, where he played Fezzik, a kind-hearted giant who relied on rhymes to keep track of instructions. Though born in France, Roussimoff developed a deep connection to the American South while traveling for wrestling. He eventually purchased a ranch in North Carolina, about 60 miles east of Charlotte, where he raised cattle and became an active member of the local community.
His involvement went beyond daily life—he even participated in public campaigns, including recording advertisements in 1990 opposing a proposed low-level radioactive waste site nearby. His presence left a lasting impression on the town, which still preserves a piece of his legacy, including a pair of his size-26 cowboy boots displayed in a local museum.
Roussimoff passed away in 1993 at the age of 46 while visiting France for his father’s funeral. After a service there, his remains were cremated, and his ashes were returned to North Carolina and scattered on his ranch.
The marker, located at the intersection of NC Highway 72 and Old NC Highway 220, briefly commemorates his life, noting his years, career as a wrestler and actor, his birth name, his role in The Princess Bride, and the fact that he once lived nearby.
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