Born in Mardin Turkey, Sultan Kösen’s life took a different turn when he was diagnosed with gigantism and acromegaly. These abnormal growth conditions deprived him of a normal life like his peers however, when he was pronounced the tallest man alive by the Guinness World Record, he became an interesting figure.
Since then, the former Turkish farmer hasn’t only gained global recognition but also better opportunities. He has been invited to star in a number of movies and also toured over 50 countries as an ambassador.
Sultan Kösen’s Profile
Here are 10 Interesting Facts About Sultan Kösen
1. He Dropped Out From School Because of His Height
Sultan Kosen was welcomed into the world by his parents Abdulkadir and Camile Kosen on the 10th day of December 1982. He grew up alongside his brother Hasan Kosen in the Southeastern part of Mardin Turkey.
Sultan had a normal life as a child until the age of 10 when his abnormality began to pose a barrier to his social and physical life.
Sultan reportedly outgrew most of his peers and couldn’t comfortably relate with them. Also, he was faced with the physical challenge of fitting into normal cars and classrooms. He also experiencing health breakdowns following his treatments and medications. At a point, he began using crutches to aid his movement.
As a result of these factors, Sultan had to stop schooling and resulted to work as a farmer instead.
2. Sultan’s Height of 8 feet 2 inches Isn’t Natural
While a person’s height is largely determined by their genetic makeup, other factors like the environment and excessive production of growth hormones set the bar for others. The second phase is relatable to Sultan Kosen who was diagnosed with gigantism and acromegaly – a condition that causes excessive release of growth hormones.
Surprisingly, Sultan is the only person in his family of such height. All his family members are of average height without any excesses.
3. Does His Height Afford Him any Advantage?
Yes, even though Sultan has shared some disadvantages of his height including getting fitted clothes and shoes, he also admitted that his height also has advantages.
According to him, he has become the vision of others because of his height. Also, his height permits him to do some domestic tasks without stress such as changing light bulbs, and hanging curtains.
4. Sultan Kösen Was Recognized as the World’s Tallest Man By Guinness Book In 2009 and Largest Hands
Sultan knew he was unarguably the tallest man in his hometown in Dede Koy, Turkey. What he didn’t know was that he was also the tallest in the world until he was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the 7th tallest man alive on August 5, 2009. Sultan measured 8 feet 1 inch against the former tallest man Bao Xishun of 7 feet 9 inches.
Even more fascinating was that he was still growing. In 2011, Sultan added over 200 cm against his first record as he measured 8 feet 2 inches. According to the University of Virginia, his height peaked at 8 feet 4 inches but his poor posture and a condition called scoliosis which affected his spine made him appear shorter. Nonetheless, he is yet to find a match as he still maintains the same position.
Additionally, Sultan’s earned another title as the man with the largest hand measuring 11.22 inches. Furthermore, his left foot measured 14 3/8 inches and the right one 14 inches which gained him the second space in the Guinness book as the man with the largest feet after Jeison Orlando Rodríguez Hernández who measures 40.55cm.
5. His First Marriage Ended Following The Differences In Their Language
People with abnormal conditions are often left with the feeling of unacceptance and this was one of the Sultan’s fears. He revealed that he was scared he will never get anyone to marry him because of his condition until Melve Dibo proved differently.
Sultan was previously married to Melve Dibo, a Syrian woman in 2013. As the story goes, the pair were introduced by a mutual friend and as a result, Melve traveled from Syria to meet him in Turkey.
Although Melve only understands Arabic while Sultan only speaks Turkish, they still managed to communicate with their hearts and finally got married on October 28, 2013, against many voices that tried to discourage them. They had a large wedding ceremony with an attendance of 1500 guests including friends, families, and wishes.
Unfortunately, after spending eight years together as a couple, the difficulty in understanding each other became a big problem for the two and they resolved to part ways.
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6. He Travelled to Russia in 2021 to Search For a New Bride
Following Sultan’s divorce from his first wife, Melve he has returned to the market to search for a new bride, and his country of choice is Russia. According to sources, h took a plane to Moscow for his search in December 2021, and fans are still waiting for updates on his journey.
Sultan made it known that he wants a woman who will bear him kids and also love him. He added that money is not a problem anymore since his fame pays his bills.
7. Sultan Kösen Met The World’s Shortest Man in 2010
It’s ironic that while Sultan Kosen, the world’s tallest man was trying to stop himself from growing, the world’s shortest man Chandra Bahadur Dangi was doing his best to add inches. On the occasion of the 10th Guinness World’s Record Day in London which was on the 13 November 2013, Sultan was privileged to meet the world’s shortest man who is only 21.5 inches (55cm) tall.
Despite the height difference, Sultan admitted that Chandra is a great person and that their meeting was amazing. He also added that they both experience similar pains when they stand for long which makes them uniquely alike in some ways.
8. He Stopped Growing in 2012 at the age of 30
According to research, an average human would have stopped growing by the time they get to the age of 20. However, this was different from the Sultan who continued growing until his late 30s because of his condition. At that time he measured 8 feet 3 inches and still maintains the position of the world’s tallest man.
Fortunately, one treatment among many procedures which proved to be effective was gamma knife treatment for his pituitary tumor which he received in 2010 at the University of Virginia medical school. As a result of this, his growth hormone was controlled and in March 2012, it was confirmed that his excessive growth has been halted by the treatment he received.
9. How Sultan Kösen Makes His Money
As earlier stated, Sultan dropped out of school and focused on making a career in farming. Be that as it may, his recognition by the Guinness book as the world’s tallest man has opened many doors for him even in Hollywood
Without any formal education in acting, The 37 years old has earned many star roles in Hollywood movies since his debut in Achieving the Imposible (2016). Also, Sultan is a member of the Magic Circus of Samoa which has allowed him participated in various shows around the world. He has been a member since 2014.
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10. He is Well Travelled
Sultan’s celebrity status as the world’s tallest man also affords him the pleasure of touring the world. According to sources, he has been in over 50 countries thanks to his position as an ambassador for turkey. Some countries he has visited include London, Samoa, and Russia to name a few.
