A Life Defined by Unusual Ability
From early childhood Laurence Kim Peek displayed abilities that attracted attention from doctors, researchers and educators.
Reports of his speed reading and remarkable recall created interest long before he became known to the wider public through the film Rain Man. His skill set and the medical findings around his brain structure remained central to every stage of his life.
Early Development and Memory Capacity
Kim Peek was born in Salt Lake City on November 11 1951. Medical examinations revealed macrocephaly, damage to the cerebellum and complete absence of the corpus callosum. Connectors such as the anterior commissure were also missing. He was labeled retarded at nine months and institutionalization was suggested.
His parents chose to raise him at home. According to his father Kim began memorizing information between sixteen and twenty months. He read entire books rapidly and placed them upside down when finished. He kept this habit throughout his life. He read with each eye scanning a different page. Reports stated he remembered the contents of at least twelve thousand books. Subjects he could recall included history literature geography music sports and dates. He walked at four years old and needed assistance with motor tasks throughout life due to cerebellar damage.
His IQ score of eighty seven was considered invalid because of wide variation between categories. He completed a high school curriculum by age fourteen even though the local school district did not recognize the achievement. In 1979 his father noted that Kim correctly stated that the falling Skylab station would land near Perth.
Public Exposure and Work Inspired by Him
As an adult Kim worked at the Columbus Center preparing payrolls for employees of the Salt Lake City School District. Screenwriter Barry Morrow met him in 1984 and created a character based on him for the film Rain Man. Dustin Hoffman met Kim to study his mannerisms and the film was released in 1988.
The attention that followed led to frequent public appearances. Barry Morrow gave his Oscar statuette to Kim to carry at events. At these gatherings Kim often demonstrated memory by identifying the day of the week of any given date or recalling news headlines from the day a visitor was born. He traveled with his father who assisted him with daily tasks.
Scientific Study and Final Years
In 2004 NASA Ames researchers created CT and MRI scans of Kim’s brain to form three dimensional images of its structure. A 2008 study suggested he likely had FG syndrome. He continued public demonstrations with his father until his death from a heart attack on December 19 2009 in Murray Utah at age fifty eight.
Kim Peek amazed researchers with the ability to read entire books in an hour and remember nearly everything.
His unusual brain structure and early memory skills shaped a life filled with public demonstrations and scientific interest…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/0wRyQZ7fXs
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) November 19, 2025