Väinö Myllyrinne (27 February 1909 – 13 April 1963)[1] was a Finnish giant with acromegaly who held the title of the world’s tallest living person for an extended period from 1940 to 1963.
He even had the potential to become the tallest person in the world after the passing of Robert Wadlow. At the age of 21, he stood at a height of 224 cm (7 feet 4 inches) and weighed 141 kg (22 stone; 311 pounds). However, in his late thirties, he experienced a second phase of growth, reaching an astonishing height of 251 cm (8 feet 3 inches).
Myllyrinne was born in Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, and is recognized as the tallest soldier in history. He proudly served in the Finnish Defence Forces and completed his conscript training in 1929 with the Viipuri Heavy Artillery Regiment, standing at 220 cm (7 feet 3 inches) and displaying remarkable strength. During the 1930s, he toured Europe as a professional wrestler and circus performer. In 1939, he returned to Finland to join the Finnish Army during the Winter War. In 1946, he settled in Järvenpää and managed a chicken farm. Sadly, he passed away in Helsinki in 1963 and was laid to rest in Järvenpää.
Remarkably, in 1962, just a year before his death, medical professionals measured him at 2.48 meters (8 feet 1.5 inches). He possessed a hand span of 290 mm (11.4 inches), which is the largest ever recorded.
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