EXPIRED: 03/13/10 – He Pingping, 21, was a really big guy for being a really small guy. Whichever way you look at it – the world’s shortest man had a life that was way too short.
He (in China the surname is always first) was born in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia with a form of primordial dwarfism, weighing just 1.1 lb (500g) at birth. He was so small he could fit in his parents’ hands. They named him Pingping, meaning ‘wine bottle.’
He stopped growing at age 18 when he reached 29 inches (74.6 centimeters) tall.
He died from heart complications in Rome, Italy, where he was to take part in a TV show with other Guinness World Record holders. This was pretty much the norm for He as he was often jetting around the world, taking part in shows, photo shoots and other events for the Guinness Book of World Records.
Interestingly, He was a chain smoker. Must not have cared that it could stunt his growth – but probably didn’t think about the other health effects too much.
uRdead2me 