Leonid Stadnik has become the tallest man in the world beating Bao Xishun who earlier held the record of being the tallest. Leonid Stadnyk, 37, measures 8 feet 5 inches tall (2.57 meters tall) and has beaten Bao Xishun of China who was 7 feet 9 inches tall (2.36 meters). Stadnik is now the tallest according to the Guinness World Records. Stadnik; a former veterinary surgeon lives with his mother in Ukraine taking care of their house. Unlike Bao whose height gain was natural, Stadnik’s growth was the result of a brain operation at the age of 14 which is supposed to have stimulated his pituitary hormone (a growth hormone) leading to the abnormal height that he has achieved. Stadnyk lived in the shadows all these years despite well knowing that he was the tallest.

The previous tallest, Bao Xishun had earlier posed with the world’s shortest man He Pingping who is barely 2ft 4in tall!

It is interesting to note that the tallest man of all time happens to be Robert Wadlow of the USA. At the time of his death in 1940, he stood at 8′11″ and weighed 490 pounds. He reached 9 feet with his boots on! An estimated 40,000 people attended Wadlow’s funeral on July 19, 1940. His coffin required 12 pallbearers to carry.

I leave a few pictures of Stadnik, Bao, Pingping and Wadlow.

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Source of Stadnik’s photos: Dailymail, UK


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