World's tallest man finds no clothes and shoes for him in Ukraine

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Moscow, Aug 11 (UNI) Leonid Stadnik may be the world's tallest man living in former Soviet Republic of Ukraine, but he finds his daily life almost impossible as he cannot find a shop where he can buy clothes and shoes fitting his size.

Stadnik, 37, measuring 2 metre 53 centimetre (8 feet 3 inches), will be included in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008, displacing Chinese Bao Xishun, who stands at 2 metre 36 centimetre (7 feet 7 inches).

"I am not looking for fame or to set any records. For me, it was a lot of more pleasant when for my birthday, the local utility company built me a bathroom with a shower that took my height into account," Stadnik told RIA Novosti news agency.

The village of Podolyantsi where Stadnik lives, in Zhitomyr region of western Ukraine, has a single street, no school, no shops and no church. And although it is only three kilometre from the local center of Chudnov, Stadnik never goes there.

"My life goes-by quietly here," he said, adding "I love nature, I love going places, but because of my height I try to go where there are fewer people. I do not like attracting attention." Stadnik said doctors discovered a brain tumor when he was 12, but soon after surgery, he began to grow so quickly that his parents had trouble buying him enough clothes and shoes.

He said despite graduating from the Local Agriculture Institute with honours, he was unable to work as a veterinarian for long because of lack of shoes and gloves that fit him and he suffered frequent frostbite, while on the job.

To solve his problem, the local officials were not the first to try and help him but a German businessmen, who presented him a pair of 62 sized shoes.

Stadnik later received a visit from Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who promised him a presidential stipend.

However, when he wrote to the local officials with a request, they returned him with the explanation that he did not qualify.

"How many things I was promised. The officials promised me a tractor, a car, but I would be happy with any kind of transportation now," he said.

Asked about his plans to marry, he said, "I do not have any plans to marry yet. Life has been so complicated. I would not want to burden anyone with those problems. I have fallen in love before, but I always tried to keep myself away from all these.

UNI

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