World's Tallest Man Celebrates 40th Birthday with Visit to Ripley's Believe It or Not!

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A towering 8 feet 3 inches tall, world's tallest man Sultan Kösen celebrated a milestone — his 40th birthday — at Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando, visiting all the way from Turkey.

At Ripley's, Sultan stopped to pose next to the tallest man to have ever lived, Robert Wadlow, of Alton, Illinois. When last measured in 1940 at age 22, right before his death, Wadlow was 8 feet 11.1 inches.

Believe It or Not!, there are only ten reliable cases in history of a person reaching 8 feet or more. In 2009, Sultan Kösen became the first man over 8 feet to be measured by Guinness World Records in more than 20 years.

"After that day [that I was announced the tallest man in the world] I was born," Sultan explained to Ripley's. "Before that, I was a very silent person. Now, I can talk. I'm happy. I'm funny. I enjoy my life."

Gaining international recognition for his lofty stature, Sultan has visited 127 countries. Celebrating another year, he blew out his birthday candles at the Orlando attraction wishing to "travel the remaining countries which I have not visited so far... and to keep my record title. I hope there will be no one taller than me," he joked.

Born on December 10, 1982, Sultan didn't start his incredible growth spurt until he was 10 years old. His unique stature is caused by a condition known as "pituitary gigantism," which is the result of an over-production of growth hormone. In Sultan's case, his pituitary gland was damaged by a tumor, releasing an excess of the hormone.

Sultan also holds the record for largest hands on a living person, each one measuring 11.22 inches from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.

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Sabrina Sieck

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About Ripley Entertainment

Built on the foundation of a daily newspaper cartoon in 1918 — still in print today — Ripley Entertainment has grown to be a world leader in family entertainment, expanding to include more than 100 attractions in 10 countries around the world. Along with Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditoriums, Guinness World Records Attractions, Aquariums, WaxWorks, traveling shows, and miniature golf, the world of Ripley's continues to grow through exciting new experiences, content, and books for all ages. Learn more about Ripley's Believe It or Not! by visiting Ripleys.com and following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb19acd6-7e7f-4a2c-ac6a-ed98d0d0953a