Meet Rumeysa Gelgi, the 25-Year-Old Who Is the Tallest Woman on Earth

Imagine having not one or two, but five world records under your hat! That’s the life of Rumeysa Gelgi, a 25-year-old woman from Turkey who has made headlines across the globe for being the tallest woman alive.

Through her platform, Rumeysa wishes to spread awareness of the condition she suffers from. Bright Side got in touch with her and would like to share her story with our readers.

Childhood and Weaver syndrome.

Rumeysa was born with an extremely rare genetic mutation called Weaver syndrome. It causes rapid growth in the body, often restricting the movement of the joints and making the bones weak. Before the age of 5, Rumeysa underwent two significant surgeries to be finally able to walk for the first time with the help of a walker.

Journey from the “Tallest teen” to the “Tallest woman”.

In 2014, Rumeysa was awarded the title of “the world’s tallest living female teenager” for being 7 feet 0.09 inches (213.6 cm) at the age of 17. In 2021, she grew 7 feet 0.7 inches tall (215.16 cm) claiming the title of “the tallest woman living”.

Because of her tall stature and medical condition, Rumeysa uses a wheelchair to move most of the time. However, she is determined to look on the bright side and make the best of every day. “Every disadvantage can be turned into an advantage for yourself, so accept yourself for who you are, be aware of your potential and do your best,” she said in an interview with Guinness.

One woman, five world records.

In addition to the two world titles for her height, Rumeysa bagged three more this year. She now has the longest finger of a living female (4.40 inches), the largest female hands (right 9.81 inches and left 9.55 inches), and the longest back for a female (23.58 inches).

She didn’t let anything hold her back from achieving her dreams.

Not being able to physically go to school, Rumeysa completed her education from home. She always wanted to work in the tech industry, she started studying web development and is now a self-taught Front-End Developer. She’s also an advocate and a researcher. In her free time, she likes to go swimming, shopping, explore new places, and cuddle her cat.

Are you the tallest or the shortest person in your family? What are the challenges you face because of it? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments!