6 Celebrities With Acromegaly And Gigantism
Some people have stunting disease, but they became celebrities “despite” it. And sometimes, they were famous “for” her. She knows the most emblematic cases.
Famous People And Celebrities With Acromegaly Or Gigantism
In the last century, with the proliferation of cameras, many people with acromegaly and gigantism became celebrities. Thanks to their talent for certain disciplines, accompanied by the striking image, they achieved public notoriety.
1. Carel Struycken
One of the most famous actors diagnosed with acromegaly is Struycken. He is 75 years old today. He reached a height of 2.13 meters , so he was always called upon to play eccentric roles. Some of the best known are those made in the movies The Addams Family , where he played Largo , in addition to being The Giant in the series Twin Peaks .
2. Paul Donald Wight or “Big Show”
In the case of this American wrestler, his illness appeared as a child, so it is gigantism. At 12 years old he was already almost 1.90 meters tall and weighed 100 kilograms . However, they performed surgery to stop the excessive secretion of growth hormone.
The intervention was successful and, currently, he is 2.13 meters tall. He has led a triumphant career as a wrestler, where he is known as Big Show . In 1995 he defeated wrestling legend Hulk Hogan in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) World Championship.
3. Gheorgue Muresan
If there is a discipline where height is important, it is basketball. And the Romanian Gheorgue Mureşan stood out among the rest of the players for his impressive 2.31 meters, which he combined with great physical skill.
He played in the NBA from 1993 to 2000, averaging 9.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game . Additionally, he starred in the 1998 film My Giant alongside Billy Crystal. Mureşan also received surgeries to treat acromegaly, as it caused him constant pain and mobility problems.
4. Maurice Tillet
Tillet was a charismatic wrestler known as The French Angel . After a successful sports career, he participated in films such as The Man from Hell’s River and Fury and the Woman . However, his acromegaly brought him serious health problems, and he died at the age of 51 from cardiovascular disease.
There is a strong rumor about Tillet that suggests that his 18.1 centimeters wide and 17.9 centimeters long face was the inspiration for the designers of Shrek .
5. André Roussimoff
Better known as André the giant , this man born in France measured 2.24 meters and weighed 226 kilograms . He had a remarkable career as a wrestler: he was WWF world heavyweight champion and WWE tag team champion.
He died at age 46 from heart failure and, a year later, became the first member of the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition, he participated in several audiovisual productions, highlighting his role as Fezzik in the 1987 film The Princess Bride .
6. Tanya Angus
Tanya’s story moved society, due to her complex struggle with health problems linked to acromegaly. This American woman measured 2.13 meters and weighed 181 kilograms .
Although his family sought different strategies and treatments to improve his condition, including spinal injections, Angus died in 2013, at the age of 34 .
