By Adamz Baker
The peasant farmer from the north-western Ukrainian village of Podoliantsy died on Sunday from a cerebral hemorrhage, linked to health problems caused by his height.
Before he died, Stadnyk had grown to almost 8 feet, 5 inches (2.6 metres).
His height became abnormal when he was aged 14, and a benign tumour in his brain caused a gland to continually secrete growth hormones – meaning he never stopped growing.
At its worst his condition, known as giganticism, caused him to grow at the rate of roughly one foot every three years.
In 2007, he was briefly named the world’s tallest man by the Guinness World Records, but refused to be measured by the organization.
The title was instead given to China’s Bao Xishun, who stands at 2.36m tall. In comparison, the average British man is only 5ft 5inches (1.65metres) tall.
His height meant he could no longer be a veterinarian, as he could only travel by horse or cart, and could not find adequate clothing to protect his body from harsh winter weather.