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."
It's too bad she couldn't make money from her heighth and play basketball professionally. Used her heighth to her advantage. I would have..... I have nothing.... Even the people in jail have more then me. They have free meals, free internet, free college, free cable tv..... I have to go to a job that I can't stand to pay for those if I want them which I don't have half of those cause I can't afford them.........I think I will go take a nap...
 @Myownopinion! Unfortunately for them, people with gigantism often have oversized organs, including the heart, which are subject to internal defects. They also tend to have problems with the bones of the legs and feet, so I doubt she would have been able to have a high-paying professional basketball career. It's sad that she died so young. I wish they could have removed that tumor when she was 15 and only 6'7"...then, maybe, she might have had the chance to play pro basketball.
She's lucky to have been born at all with chinas one child policy where males are prefered (how big is thier army again?).