Donald A. Koehler (September 1, 1925 – February 26, 1981) is one of 24 known people in medical history to have verifiably reached a height of or more. He was generally recognized as the tallest living man in the world from at least 1969 until his death in 1981. At one time, Koehler stood , a result of the medical condition

gigantism Gigantism (, ''gígas'', "wiktionary:giant, giant", plural γίγαντες, ''gígantes''), also known as giantism, is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average height, average. In humans, this conditi ...

. He was born in Denton,

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

, United States. Koehler and his twin sister were born to parents of taller than average height. Their mother was ; their father was . He started an abnormal period of growth when he was 10 years old. The

Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

confirmed Koehler at a standing height of at his peak. His twin sister was for a record difference of between the twins. As a youth, he lived with his family on the north side of Chicago, attending Amundsen High School. Koehler wore shoes that were size 22, but he once stated that his most bothersome clothing problem was finding socks that fit him. He was later able to find a hosiery company in Pennsylvania that began custom-making socks for him.

Career

For 25 years Koehler worked as a salesman for the Big Joe Manufacturing Company, retiring three years before his death. He considered his size to be an advantage, for potential customers would often want to meet with him out of curiosity, and they always remembered him.

Later life and death

Later in life, he suffered from the medical condition

kyphosis Kyphosis () is an abnormally excessive convex curvature of the Spinal column, spine as it occurs in the Thoracic spine, thoracic and sacrum, sacral regions. Abnormal inward concave ''lordotic'' curving of the Cervical spine, cervical and Lumba ...

, resulting in (often severe) curvature of the spine. Koehler died in 1981 in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

from a reported heart condition, by which time he was estimated to be about tall. He was 55 years old. Per Koehler's wishes, his body was cremated, and his ashes scattered on Long Lake in Wisconsin where he liked to fish.

References

External links

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Famous People Height List
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koehler, Donald 1925 births 1981 deaths People with gigantism People from Fergus County, Montana People from Chicago Amundsen High School alumni