The world’s tallest woman was already larger than most women by the age of just six, having even broken records for her height when she was a teenager.
At 7ft tall, 25-year-old Rumeysa Gelgi has acquired various Guinness World Records in her time, including the record for the longest thumb on a living female and the largest hands on a living female and the longest back on a living female.
Gelgi has Weaver Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes rapid growth, which means she has to get around using a wheelchair.
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When she was born in Turkey in 1997, doctors found that she displayed an unusually large size for a newborn, with experts at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic at Hacettepe University later diagnosing her condition.
This meant that, as Gelgi grew older, she also grew taller at a different rate to others.
By the age of six, she was already 5ft 8 tall, meaning she was significantly taller than many fully-grown adult women.
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She was formerly the tallest teenager living, a title that was confirmed by Guinness in 2014, before breaking the record for the tallest woman living when she turned 18.
Gelgi now earns her living as a technology software expert, but also works as an advocate and public speaker.
Last month, she was able to travel by plane for the first time, having previously found that no leg room in the world was big enough to accommodate her 7ft frame.
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Staff at Turkish Airlines removed six seats from an aircraft so that Gelgi could take to the skies for the first time in her life.
She was travelling to San Francisco, California, for work, but also planned to collaborate with Guinness World Records while living it up Stateside.
She documented her trip on Instagram, writing: “A flawless journey from start to finish... this was my first plane ride but it certainly won't be my last... a heartfelt thank you to each and every person who has been a part of my journey."
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Gelgi’s followers were delighted to hear that she’d finally found an airline that would accommodate her, with many taking to the comment section of her post to share support.
People left comments including: “So glad your first flight went well!”, “So happy for you!” and “Awesome. I hope you get to see the world now.”
Turkish Airlines also responded to her post, writing: “Hello Ms. Rümeysa, we are very happy that your flight went smoothly and your valuable feedback.
“We always want to do what we can for you and our work continues in this direction. Whenever you need us, we are here for you as Turkish Airlines.”
Topics: Life
Jess Hardiman