Igor Vovkovinsky, a Ukrainian-American, suffered from a tumor that led to an excessive production of growth hormones.
This led his family to settle, already during his childhood, in the city of Rochester in the north of the United States known for its good health centers.
Already tall for his age, the “little” Igor continued to grow, despite treatment, until he reached a record height in the United States, certified by the Guinness World Records team when he was 27 years old.
During the 2013 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, Igor Vovkovinsky carried the singer who represented Ukraine to the stage. Before, he had a moment of fame in 2009, when Barack Obama realized his presence during a rally.
The man, wearing a T-shirt that read “World’s Greatest Obama Supporter,” shook hands among the assembled crowd of supporters, the then Democratic president.
According to Guinness, the tallest man in the world is currently the Turkish Sultan Kosen, with a height of 2.51 meters.
The tallest man in modern American history was Robert Wadlow, whose height reached 2.72 meters. He also suffered from an abnormally high production of growth hormones and died in 1940 at just 22 years old.
William Shakespeare is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, history, and current affairs. With a keen eye for storytelling and analysis, he produces informative articles that help readers understand the people, ideas, and events influencing modern life.
