Igor Vovkovinskiy

Igor Vovkovinskiy (Ukrainian: Ігор Вовковинський, romanized: Ihor Vovkovynskyj; September 18, 1982 – August 20, 2021), also known as Igor Ladan, was a Ukrainian-American law student, actor and tallest living person in the United States,[1] at 7 feet 8+1⁄3 inches (234.5 cm), briefly taking the record from George Bell.

Vovkovinskiy performing during the Eurovision Song Contest 2013
Igor Vovkovinskiy
Ігор Вовковинський
Vovkovinskiy waves to the crowd at a basketball game in Houston in 2013
Born(1982-09-18)September 18, 1982
Bar, Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
DiedAugust 20, 2021(2021-08-20) (aged 38)
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
NationalityUkrainian-American
Known forTallest living person in the United States
Height7 ft 8.33 in (234.52 cm)

Originally from Ukraine, Vovkovinskiy moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 1989 to be treated at the Mayo Clinic.[2] At that time, he was already at least six feet tall.[3]

Vovkovinskiy acted in commercials and films, including the 2011 comedy Hall Pass, and became better known for wearing a T-shirt that read "World's Biggest Obama Supporter" to a Barack Obama rally.[4] He was the first official tallest living person from two countries. He joined singer Zlata Ognevich in representing Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013.[1]

Vovkovinskiy's height was attributed to a tumor pressing on his pituitary gland, causing it to release an excessive amount of growth hormone.[5] In 2019, he said on his YouTube channel that he was undergoing treatment for a heart condition.[6]

Vovkovinskiy was hospitalized for heart disease and died on August 20, 2021, four weeks before his 39th birthday.[7][8]

See also

References
  1. Eurovision Song Contest won by Denmark, BBC News (19 May 2013)
  2. Tribune (Minneapolis), Jean Hopfensperger Star. "Public rises to help world's tallest man buy shoes". Post and Courier.
  3. Meet the tallest man in the world, 60 Minutes Australia (23 June 2018)
  4. "President has no trouble spotting his biggest fan". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-10-28..
  5. Rupar, Aaron. "Igor Vovkovinskiy, America's tallest man, lives in Rochester, can't find shoes". City Pages. Archived from the original on 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
  6. "IgorTheUkrainian - YouTube". youtube.com.
  7. "Rochester Man -Tallest in the United States- Has Died".
  8. "Igor Vovkovinskiy, tallest man in US, dies in Minnesota". AP NEWS. 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
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