He Pingping
| He Pingping | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | July 13, 1988 Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, China |
| Died | March 13, 2010 (aged 21) Rome, Italy |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Known for | Being the world's shortest man |
He Pingping (Chinese: 何平平; pinyin: Hé Píngpíng; July 13, 1988 – March 13, 2010[1]) was a Chinese citizen and, according to the Guinness World Records, the world's shortest man who was able to walk.[2][3]
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[edit] Early and personal life
He measured 74 cm (2 ft 5 in) tall,[4] and was the third child of a family in Huade county, in the city of Ulanqab in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He had two sisters, both of whom developed at normal rates. According to his father, He Yun, at birth He Pingping was small enough to fit in the palm of his parents' hands. When it became apparent the child was growing very slowly, doctors diagnosed the cause as the bone deformity osteogenesis imperfecta, which hinders normal bone growth and body height. He was a chain smoker.[5]
[edit] Recognition of size
In January 2007, He was invited to take part on a television program in Tokyo, Japan. His home of Inner Mongolia is also home to Bao Xishun, who at 2.36 meters tall was recognized by Guinness as the world's tallest man until September 2009.[6] Their televised meeting in July 2007 attracted global media attention.[7][8][9] In May 2008 he appeared in the British Channel 4 documentary called The World's Smallest Man and Me hosted by Mark Dolan.[10] In September 2008 he appeared with the world's longest-legged woman, Svetlana Pankratova, in London's Trafalgar Square, to publicize the release of the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.[3]
In 2006 Guinness World Records disallowed an application from a then fourteen-year-old Nepalese boy, Khagendra Thapa Magar, who measures 53 cm but reviewed the case once he reached 18 years of age in October 2010, when he was measured at 67 cm. A Jordanian man who claims to be the world's shortest man, Younis Edwan, has not been officially measured by Guinness.
Following his January 2007 appearance on television, He's status as the world's shortest walking man was verified by Guinness World Records.[2] His height was measured three times over the course of 10 hours before he received a certificate officially naming him as the world’s shortest walking man.[2]
In September 2008, he traveled to New York City to help launch the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, which certified him as the world's smallest walking man.[2]
On April 25, 2010, He was featured in the tenth episode of the 16th cycle of the American reality show, The Amazing Race, filmed earlier in Shanghai. The episode was dedicated in his memory.
[edit] Death
He was admitted to a hospital on 3 March 2010 in Rome, after complaining of chest pains. He had been filming Lo show dei record.[11] He died on March 13, 2010, at the age of twenty-one of heart complications.[12] The Guinness World Records editor-in-chief, Craig Glenday, said that he was "an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual."[11]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "He Pingping, the world's shortest man, dies aged 21". BBC News. 15 March 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8569166.stm. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b c d Tracy Connor (19 September 2008). "World's shortest man, He Pingping, makes trip to New York City". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_worlds_shortest_man_he_pingping_makes_tr.html. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- ^ a b Zuckerbrod, Nancy (2008-09-16). World's shortest man, leggiest woman meet. ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/WaterCooler/wireStory?id=5816116. Retrieved 2008-09-17[dead link]
- ^ The World's Smallest Man, second only to James Pickering of Reading, and Me. Channel 4. http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/T/the_worlds_and_me/smallest/index.html. Retrieved 2008-09-17
- ^ "World's shortest man dies aged 21". RTÉ News. 16 March 2010. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0316/pingpingh.html. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
- ^ "New Tallest Man in the World is Announced in London to Launch the 2010 Edition of Guinness World Records". sys.con. 2009-09-17. http://www.sys-con.com/node/1110129. Retrieved 2009-09-17.[dead link]
- ^ "World's Tallest Man Meets World's Smallest Man". Fox News. 2007-07-14. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,289298,00.html. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- ^ WLMD (2008). "World's tallest man and smallest man, quite possibly". Where Light Meets Dark. http://www.wherelightmeetsdark.com/index.php?NW_id=321&NW_user_op=view&module=newswatch. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
- ^ News.com.au (13 July 2007). "World's tallest man meets world's smallest man". News Limited Australia. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22071138-2,00.html. Retrieved November 23, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Programme Two: The World's Smallest Man and Me". Channel4.com. 2008-05-12. http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/T/the_worlds_and_me/smallest/index.html. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
- ^ a b "World's shortest man, He Pingping, dies in Italy". AFP. 16 March 2010. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5oH351tMK. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
- ^ Telegraph.co.uk (15 March 2010). "World's shortest man dies aged 21". London: The Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7450343/Worlds-shortest-man-dies-aged-21.html. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
