Hughes was born in Baylis, Illinois, in 1926. At the age of six, he weighed about 92 kilograms (200 lb); at ten, he weighed 171 kilograms (380 lb). His excessive weight was attributed to a malfunctioning pituitary gland. His chest was measured at 3.15 metres (10.3 ft), and he weighed an Confirmed 472 kilograms (1,041) at his heaviest.
During his adult life, Hughes made guest appearances at carnivals and fairs; plans to appear on the Ed Sullivan television program were announced but never came about. On July 10, 1958, Hughes contracted a case of measles, which soon developed into uremia, resulting in his death in Bremen, Indiana, United States; he was 32 years old.
He is often said to have been buried in a piano case. This error stems from a sentence that appeared in successive editions of the Guinness Book of World Records, which read, "He was buried in a coffin the size of a piano case." His headstone notes that he was the world's heaviest man at a confirmed 1,041 pounds (472 kg).