Windows to Russia

Hello,

How would you like to be this tall……
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[24.03.2008 17:02]Leonid Stadnik`s phenomenal height has forced him to quit a job he loved, to stoop as he moves around his house and to spend most of his time in his tiny home village because he cannot fit in a car or bus, according to AP.

But Stadnik, who according to the Guinness World Records is the world`s tallest human, says his condition has also taught him that the world is filled with kindhearted strangers.

Since his recognition by Ukrainian record keepers four years ago, and by Guinness last year, people from all over Ukraine and the world have shipped him outsized clothing, provided his home with running water and recently presented him with a giant bicycle.

“Thanks to good people I have shoes and clothes,” said the 37-year-old former veterinarian, who still lives with his 66-year-old mother.

In 2006, Stadnik was officially measured at 2.57 meters tall (8 feet 5 inches), surpassing a Chinese man to claim the title of the world`s tallest person.

His growth spurt began at age 14 after a brain operation that apparently stimulated the overproduction of growth hormone. Doctors say he has been growing ever since.

While he may appear intimidating due to his size, Stadnik charms visitors with a broad grin and childlike laugh. He seems at times like a lonely boy trapped in a giant`s body, even keeping stuffed toys on his pillow.

Stadnik`s stature has earned him worldwide attention, but it has mostly a burden to him. He has to battle to lead anything close to a normal life.

All the doorways in his one-story brick house are too short for him to pass through without stooping. His 200 kilograms (440 pounds) cause constant knee pain and often force him to move on crutches.

Stadnik loves animals, but he had to quit as a veterinarian at a cattle farm in a nearby village, after suffering frostbite when he walked work in his socks in winter. He could not afford specially made shoes for his 43-centimeter (17-inch) feet.

But his recent fame has brought him friends from all over the world and taught him not to despair.

A German man who said he was his distant relative invited Stadnik for a visit several years ago. On the trip, Stadnik got to sample frog legs in an elegant restaurant and saw a roller coaster in an amusement park — both for the first time.

Shortly after that, Stadnik came home one day and saw a brand-new computer connected to the Web sitting on his desk — a gift from a local Internet provider. Company workers “sneaked into the house like little spies” to install the equipment, Stadnik joked.

Since then he has made numerous online friends, including several in the United States, Australia and Russia. Stadnik hopes to learn English so he can communicate better with his Anglophone contacts; currently, he relies on computer translations, which he says are often inadequate.

Ukraine`s President Viktor Yushchenko`s personal tailor has made Stadnik two track suits and the president plans to present Stadnik with a giant car. Local authorities have also promised to supply gas to Stadnik`s village, 200 kilometers (125 miles) kilometers west of the capital, Kiev.

On Sunday, a local organization for the disabled gave Stadnik a giant bike so he can pedal to the grocery store, which is in a nearby village. The group also presented Stadnik with a fitness machine.

“I have always dreamt that my life and the life of my loved ones … would become more comfortable,” Stadnik said. “My dream is coming true.”

His neighbors joke that they may also benefit from Stadnik`s success. “Of course we are proud of him — we may have gas here soon thanks to him,” said Nila Kravchuk, 75.

Since he quit his job, Stadnik has concentrated on managing the family garden and taking care of his three cows, one horse and assorted pigs and chickens. He lives with his mother Halyna, 66, and his sister Larysa, 42.

Stadnik says his dream now is finding a soul mate, just like the former titleholder, China`s Bao Xishun, who was married last year.

“I think the future holds that for me,” he said.

AP

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I am 6’3″(190+ cm), he is 2’2″(66+ cm) taller than me! (256 + cm tall)

His health is failing, read this article here… LINK!
A beautiful video about Leonid Stadnik: watch HERE!

Kyle & Svet

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Hello,

I was drinking my morning cup of coffee & thinking that I better warn everyone that vacation time for Svet & I is almost here.

At the end of the week, (29th of March) we are going to travel Russia! A few of the places that we plan on seeing is the cities of Volgograd, Novocherkassk, Sochi, Kazan, Samara & Nizhnijj Novgorod! We are also looking at going to the countries of Georgia and Armenia.

Svet & I do not have plans set in stone, we just want to see the world a little bit at a time. I have our car ready & we have someone to watch Boza our dog!

We have an old laptop that we are taking this time. I have installed Xubuntu operating system, a wireless card, 128 megs of Ram & an external hard drive. The wireless works fantastic & we have gone to McDonald’s in Moscow to test out the system.

Many Hotels that we stay at have Wi-Fi and all McDonald’s that we find in Russia seem to have free Wi-Fi.

We plan on posting a few articles while we are gone on vacation & let you see what we find on the way. There are no promises that we will succeed in posting but we plan on trying,

One of the purposes of the trip is to travel to Sochi where the 2016 Winter Olympics will be held. We want to get pictures of the now(preconstruction) before all the construction is done. So that when we go back to Sochi at the Olympics we can compare.

That is all for now……

Kyle & Svet

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Hello,

This is not a surprise to me, The story is sad but a real part of life in Russia!

My wife & I have stood at train stations and overpasses, looking at the train tracks. As we watch the trains come & go, we see people crossing the tracks. I ask why do they all seem to put them selves in danger? Why do they cross under trains instead of going around them? Why cross here?

My wife just says that it is much faster…… She says that they live across the tracks and they take the shortest route! That all makes sense to me, except I value my life more than crawling under a rail car that could move at any moment.

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Seven-year-old girl loses legs in train tragedy in south Russia

24/03/2008 12:57 ROSTOV-ON-DON, March 24 (RIA Novosti) – A seven-year-old girl lost both legs when a rail car hit her as she crawled over the tracks in Taganrog in southern Russia, the regional railway press service said on Monday.

The accident occurred Friday when the girl’s mother, decided to take a short cut under a stationary wagon rather than walk round the train. As the mother and daughter crawled under the train, it started moving crushing the girl’s legs.

The girl was rushed to hospital where doctors fought to save her life.

The mother sustained slight injuries in the tragedy.
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So the Mother had only a slight injury, whereas the daughter lost both legs……..

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.

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