When Eric Kilburn, Jr. was born, his mother’s physician told her that her baby had the biggest feet he had ever seen. “Don’t go out and buy baby shoes, because they’re not going to fit,” he said. Now, 14 years later, it’s almost impossible for Rebecca to find shoes that fit her 6’10” high school freshman, who needs a size 23 shoe. Eric’s height doesn’t stem from a gland issue; he just comes from a family of really tall people — both of his parents are over 6 feet tall. Eric plays football at Goodrich High School in Goodrich, Mich., but doesn’t wear cleats. That led to a sprained ankle, and the teen also suffers from ingrown toenails that are so severe he had the nails on both big toes permanently removed. Last year, the family was lucky enough to stumble upon 5 pairs of size 21 shoes at a Nike outlet store. It turned out that they had been specially made for NBA player Tacko Fall. To put things in perspective, Shaquille O’Neal wears a size 22 shoe. It wasn’t long before Eric grew out of the size 21 treads and the family was left with only one option: have orthopedic shoes made for Eric at a cost of $1,500 a pair and no guarantee that he wouldn’t quickly grow out of them. Once word of the family’s dilemma got out, multiple companies, including Under Armour and PUMA, sent representatives to Michigan to measure Eric’s fee for custom shoes. A GoFundMe page was set up on behalf of the Kilburn family to help them purchase custom shoes for Eric in the future. The page raised nearly $20,000 for the family in just over a week. The Kilburns plan to open a bank account dedicated to Eric’s future footwear and some specialized sports equipment, including a football helmet and shoulder pads. The family said they are extremely grateful and touched by the outpouring of concern for Eric.
