World's tallest woman dies at age 39
BEIJING (AP) - The world's tallest woman has died in eastern China. She was 39.
Chinese state media say Yao Defen died on Nov. 13 at her home in China's eastern province of Anhui.
Guinness World Records in January 2010 had certified her as the world's tallest living woman at 7 feet and 7 inches (233.3 centimeters).
The local Xin'an Evening News did not give the cause of death but said in a report that Yao suffered from gigantism, with a tumor on her pituitary gland disrupting her levels of growth hormone. A government official in her county who gave only his surname, Liu, confirmed Yao's death on Wednesday.
The Xin'an newspaper said Yao learned to play basketball when young, and that she was 6 feet and 7 inches (200 centimeters) tall by the age of 15.
In a Chinese-language video from three years ago, Yao expressed anguish at her unusual height. "I am very unhappy. Why am I this tall?" she said from her bed. "If I were not this tall, others would not look at me like this."
Chinese state media say Yao Defen died on Nov. 13 at her home in China's eastern province of Anhui.
Guinness World Records in January 2010 had certified her as the world's tallest living woman at 7 feet and 7 inches (233.3 centimeters).
The local Xin'an Evening News did not give the cause of death but said in a report that Yao suffered from gigantism, with a tumor on her pituitary gland disrupting her levels of growth hormone. A government official in her county who gave only his surname, Liu, confirmed Yao's death on Wednesday.
The Xin'an newspaper said Yao learned to play basketball when young, and that she was 6 feet and 7 inches (200 centimeters) tall by the age of 15.
In a Chinese-language video from three years ago, Yao expressed anguish at her unusual height. "I am very unhappy. Why am I this tall?" she said from her bed. "If I were not this tall, others would not look at me like this."
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@Billy Hyawe quality billy,quality
I hope she does find peace in the afterlife (if she believes in that). There has to be a reason people suffer so much here on earth, while others don't (health-wise).
RIP tall one.
I know humans can live with all kinds of missing parts (spleen, gall bladder, etc.) - is the pituitary gland something that isn't "required"?
 @katiemcc Possibly, but it does secrete and regulate a lot of hormones in the body. Â
It's sad that they did not or could not remove the tumor before she reached an impossible size.Â
Poor woman. Â So sad.
Hopefully, we will solve this little puzzle, but you hear about the myths and legends regarding giants in ancient times... make you think if at one point there were thousands of giants walking the earth. But in todays era it is a serious health problems, dying of gigantism where ones heart can no longer pump sufficient blood to ones body is so not a way to go. I do sincerely hope that this woman finds the peace that escaped her in life.
 @Freespeech Back when these people might have inspired the 'giant' myths, almost no one lived past 40, so their shortened life spans might not have been perceived to be as tragic as it is now.