Leonid Stadnyk

Leonid Stadnyk lived from August 5, 1970, to August 24, 2014, and is remembered as the tallest man in Ukraine. Stadnyk claimed to be 8 feet 5 inches tall, though he was never officially measured by Guinness World Records or any organizations outside of Ukraine, and thus was never able to retain an official world record.

Stadnyk’s growth was triggered by a tumor on his pituitary gland that he developed at age 14. The tumor caused him to secrete excess growth hormones and he was diagnosed with acromegalic gigantism. The tumor later disappeared, and Stadnyk was able to live a relatively healthy life.

At age 34, he was interviewed by GQ and claimed to be still growing. At the time he was over eight feet tall and weighed 480 pounds. He stated in the interview that he had lost interest in medical treatments for his condition. He loved sweets of any kind and said that his shoes were a size 26. He spent most of his life on a farm in a small Ukranian village called Podoliantsi, home to 400 residents.

How old is Leonid Stadnyk?

Leonid Stadnyk lived to age 44.

Who are the tallest people in the world?

• Bao Xishun , height: 236 cm (7 ft 8 15⁄16 in). Former holder of the Guinness record for male height.
• Robert Wadlow , height: 272 cm (8 ft 11.1 in). Tallest man in history.
• Sultan Kösen , height: 2.52 m (8 ft 3 1⁄4 in). Current holder of the Guinness record for male height.