A man named Adam Rainer from Austria stood at a mere 1.4 meters tall at the age of 18. Typically, males cease growing taller by the age of 18, so Adam was diagnosed as a dwarf.
Despite Adam's short stature, his feet were unusually large.
When he first attempted to enlist in the military at the age of 15, during the outbreak of World War I in 1914, his medical examination reported a height of only 1.3 meters. However, at that time, he required shoes sized 27.5 centimeters—equivalent to a Chinese size 44.
(He was rejected due to his height issue, and there were several other instances in his life where he attempted to enlist but was rejected because of his height!)
By the age of 18, his height hadn't increased much, but his feet continued to grow larger, necessitating shoes sized 37.5 centimeters, equivalent to the foot size of former NBA giant Shaquille O'Neal, surpassing the standard shoe sizes available.
This body proportion was clearly abnormal, but nobody paid attention to it at the time.
It wasn't until Adam was 21 years old that his story took a turn. Over the next 10 years, he grew in the direction of a giant, his body wildly elongating.
By the age of 31, he had reached a towering height of 2.16 meters, nearly matching O'Neal's height, yet he continued to grow.
Due to the inability of his muscles to keep up with the growth of his bones, his body experienced severe discomfort, and he had to seek medical help everywhere.
Between 1930 and 1931, Adam underwent numerous examinations and treatments, until doctors finally discovered the reason:
The continuous growth of Adam's body was due to a tumor growing on his pituitary gland, causing it to continuously secrete growth hormones.
Changes in Adam Rainer's Facial Structure
In adulthood, people typically stop growing taller because the growth plates in their bones close due to changes in adult hormones.
However, if the body continues to produce growth hormone at this stage, the result can be a condition known as acromegaly, where the extremities enlarge.
Indeed, Adam Rainer was a classic case of acromegaly. His body was small while his hands and feet were large, and he had prominent features such as a protruding forehead and jaw, all typical signs of acromegaly.
Considering that Adam's body was at risk of being overwhelmed by his condition, doctors ultimately decided to remove his tumor. However, due to the prolonged growth of the tumor, the surgery was extremely challenging.
Fortunately, the surgery was successful. Subsequent observations revealed that Adam's body did not continue to grow taller.
However, he began to develop curvature, indicating that he was still growing, albeit in a way where his bones were finding it difficult to grow taller and were instead changing shape.
Not long after, Adam became immobile due to continued growth, confined to his bed.
Gradually, one of his eyes began to lose sight, and one ear lost its hearing.
He lived to be 51 years old, and at the time of his death, except for the curved parts of his body, he stood at a height of 2.34 meters.
He also became the only person in the world to be classified as both a dwarf and a giant during his lifetime.
