At just 14 years old, Eric Kilburn Jr. has a story like no other. Standing at an incredible 6-foot-10 with size 23 feet, this high school freshman couldn’t find shoes that fit—anywhere. Regular stores? Forget it. Even big-name brands like Nike and Adidas couldn’t accommodate his enormous feet.
“I just want shoes,” Eric told The Flint Journal. “There’s nothing else behind it. Once I grow out of these, I’ll have nothing to wear—no sandals, no Crocs, nothing.”
Eric’s search for footwear was exhausting, but things finally turned around when Under Armour stepped up to design custom shoes just for him.
A mom is searching worldwide for shoes her 14-year-old son needs. He has size 23 feet:
— Dr. Jeff Rabinowitz (VotedBlueIn2022) 🇺🇦 (@rxjef77) March 25, 2023
Rebecca Kilburn wants to provide everything her children need, including the basic necessities like shoes. That's proving to be a struggle with her 14-year-old son Eric Jr. has size 23 feet!! pic.twitter.com/njaLu1k82u
Life at a Whole New Height
Living life as a giant comes with challenges—and perks. Eric has accepted his height with a good sense of humor.
“It’s weird realizing, ‘Oh, I’m going to be like this forever,’” he shared. “I’ll always see the tops of shelves and people’s heads. But honestly, I’m fine with it.”
Nicknamed “Big E,” Eric plays defensive tackle on his high school football team, where even his gear has to be customized. His Schutt F7 helmet? One of the only ones that fit. His football cleats? Also a work in progress—until now.
The Journey to Custom Shoes
Desperate for a solution, the Kilburn family turned to GoFundMe, hoping to raise enough money for $1,500 custom shoes. But their luck changed when Under Armour took notice.
On a Sunday, Eric and his family met with Robb Cropp, Under Armour’s senior director of Footwear Development. Using 3D scans, they measured Eric’s feet—“the biggest foot I’ve ever seen,” Cropp admitted.
@mlivenews Eric Kilburn Jr. didn’t hesitate Sunday to tell the Under Armour representative who came to measure his record-breaking feet what color and style of shoe he wanted. He likes the company’s Lockdown 6 basketball shoe in red. It was the first time since elementary school the 14-year-old was able to weigh in on the appearance of his footwear. The Kilburn family met with Robb Cropp, senior director of Footwear Development at Under Armour, at Bridgewood Church in Clarkston to get a 3D rendering of the teenager’s feet on Sunday, March 26. The 6-foot-10 Goodrich High School freshman went viral after an MLive-The Flint Journal story about his journey looking for shoes that fit his feet properly. He needed them in a size 23 or bigger, which are extremely difficult to find. Under Armour took a 3D rendering of Kilburn Jr.’s feet to create a mold that will then be used to make a shoe “from the ground up,” Cropp said. Click on the link in our bio for more of the teen's story. 🎥: Brice Tucker | MLive.com #michigan #michigannews #michiganders #shoes #record ♬ original sound – MLive
For Eric, the relief was palpable. “I’ve been so worried about what I’d do if I outgrew my size 22s,” he said. “But Under Armour’s solution means everything. Just having shoes that don’t hurt or give me blisters—it’s life-changing.”
A Bright Future Ahead
As part of the collaboration, Under Armour will also make Eric a pair of custom football cleats, just in time for the new season. This couldn’t come at a better time, as Eric has been recovering from an ankle sprain.
From battling blisters to stepping into a solution, Eric’s story is a testament to perseverance—and the kindness of strangers.
Let’s give a shoutout to this incredible teen and the team that made his dream come true. Know someone who would love this story? Share it with them!
