real life growth -- AP

[massingUP]

...from Sunday, April 18th, 2004.

Tallest man feels lowly at the top

At 8-foot-4, he's still growing
'My life has no sense,' he says


ANNA MENLICHUK
ASSOCIATED PRESS

PODOLIANTSI, Ukraine?At age 33, Leonid Stadnik wishes he would stop growing.

He's already 8 feet, 4 inches tall.

Recent measurements show Stadnik is already 7 inches taller than Radhouane Charbib of Tunisia, listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest living man. He's also gaining on Robert Wadlow, who at 8 foot 11 is the tallest man in history.

Yet for Stadnik, the prospect of becoming a record-holder would be little comfort.

"My 2-year-old suit's sleeves and pants are now 30 centimetres shorter than I need," he said.

"My height is God's punishment. My life has no sense.''

Stadnik's height keeps him confined to this tiny village about 210 kilometres west of the capital, Kiev.

"Taking a public bus for me is the same as getting into a car's trunk for a normal person," he said.

Stadnik's unusual growth began after a brain operation at age 14, which is believed to have stimulated his pituitary gland. Since then, life just keeps getter harder.

Although he once was able to work as a veterinarian at a cattle farm, he had to quit three years ago after his 17-inch feet became frostbitten because he wasn't able to afford proper shoes. This month, he finally got a good pair, paid for by some businessmen. Their $200 (U.S) cost was equivalent to about seven months' worth of the tiny pension that Stadnik receives in the economically struggling country.

Stadnik sleeps on two beds joined lengthwise and moves in a crouch through the small one-storey house that he shares with his mother Halyna.

His weight of about 440 pounds aggravates a recently broken leg, and he suffers from constant knee pain.

Despite his aches, he tries to keep himself busy with the usual routine of country life. He works in the garden, tends the family's cows and pigs, and helps neighbours with their animals.

To relax, he cultivates exotic plants and pampers his tiny blue and yellow pet parakeet with his huge hands.

Bronyslav, a neighbour who wouldn't give his last name, described Stadnik as the "most unselfish, diligent man of a pure soul.''

His friends, in turn, treat him with the same sort of soft good humour. They're trying to organize a trip for him to the Carpathian Mountains to show him that "there's something in the world taller than you," Bronyslav said.

[Jace]

Awww. Poor guy. I'm glad his friends are trying to make him happy.

[ottomun6]

Yeah, sounds like he hates being so big. I seem to remember seeing something on TV last fall about another guy with a similar problem but I think he lives in Africa.

I sure wish I could take some of that height

[Jace]

Found these photos of Leonid Stadnik.

[Jace]

Leonid Stadnik with a regular cell phone.

[Jace]

let's try this again!!!

[massingUP]

Another Stadnik image...

[ottomun6]

Looks like Leonard is truly huge, I can't get over that cellphone pic. He looks like he can't press the buttons! Each of his fingers takes up almost the whole keyboard. Wow!
With his pituitary gland making him grow and grow , I wonder what would happen if he were to try to get buffed? I'm sure that he would have to be extra careful of his joints, but wouldn't it be wild if all those growth hormones made his muscles grow just as easily?

[brent]

It's too bad he lives in Russia, where they obviously aren't as good at exploiting this kind of freak properly. Where are the WWE recruiters???

[monmon]

I thought he was from Ukraine?

[Yachirobi]

It's sad. I'm sure we all want to be taller but to be so tall that it impairs your life? Hopefully he can find someone to help him stop growing or otherwise it might kill him.

[arpeejay]

Originally Posted by Yachirobi

It's sad. I'm sure we all want to be taller but to be so tall that it impairs your life? Hopefully he can find someone to help him stop growing or otherwise it might kill him.

Not might, WILL.

rpj