ELLERBE, N.C. — A small North Carolina community is paying tribute to one of wrestling’s most iconic figures with the dedication of a memorial roadside marker honoring Andre The Giant, who called their town home.
The marker will be revealed Thursday in Ellerbe, North Carolina, a tight-knit community of roughly 1,000 residents where the wrestling legend Andre Rene Roussimoff owned and operated a ranch on the town’s outskirts.
Standing at a reported 7 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 520 pounds, Andre dominated the WWE wrestling scene throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Promoted as an unstoppable force in the ring, Roussimoff maintained his undefeated reputation until his famous showdown with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III in 1987, a match that helped transform WWE from a regional operation into a national entertainment powerhouse.
That same year, Roussimoff transitioned to Hollywood, portraying the lovable strongman Fezzik in the classic film “The Princess Bride.” His character served as muscle for the story’s villain but was known for his kind nature and need for rhyming cues to follow directions.
Though born in France, Roussimoff developed a deep affection for the American South during his wrestling career, eventually purchasing his North Carolina property and operating a cattle ranch approximately 60 miles east of Charlotte.
The wrestling star became deeply involved in Ellerbe’s community life. In 1990, he recorded television and radio advertisements opposing a proposed low-level radioactive waste facility in the area. A local museum still displays a pair of his size-26 cowboy boots as a tribute.
Roussimoff passed away in 1993 at 46 years old while in France attending his father’s funeral. Following a service there, his remains were cremated and his ashes scattered across his cherished North Carolina ranch property.
The Richmond County memorial marker, positioned at the intersection of NC Highway 72 and Old NC Highway 220, bears a simple inscription: “Andre The Giant. 1946-1993. Actor and professional wrestler. Was born Andre Roussimoff. Known for role in The Princess Bride in 1987. Lived nearby.”
