Igor Vovkovinskiy

{{Short description|Ukrainian-American known for being

America's tallest person}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Igor Vovkovinskiy

| native_name_lang = uk

| native_name = {{nobold|Ігор Вовковинський}}

| image = Igor Vovkovinskiy wave.JPG

| caption = Vovkovinskiy waves to the crowd at a basketball game in Houston in 2013

| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1982|09|18}}

| birth_place = Bar, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)

| death_date = {{dda|2021|08|20|1982|09|18}}

| death_place = Rochester, Minnesota, United States

| nationality = Ukrainian-American

| education =

| alma_mater =

| known_for = Tallest living person in the United States

| height_ft = 7

| height_in = 8.33

}}

Igor Vovkovinskiy{{efn|{{langx|uk|Ігор Вовковинський|{{transliteration|uk|ukrainian|Ihor Vovkovynskyi}}}}}} (also known as Igor Ladan; September 18, 1982 – August 20, 2021) was a Ukrainian-American law student, actor and tallest living person in the United States, at {{convert|7|ft|8+1/3|in|cm|sigfig=4}}, briefly taking the record from George Bell.

File:ESC2013 - Ukraine 01 (cropped).jpg]]

Originally from Ukraine, Vovkovinskiy moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 1989 to be treated at the Mayo Clinic.{{Cite web|last=Tribune (Minneapolis)|first=Jean Hopfensperger Star|title=Public rises to help world's tallest man buy shoes|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/features/faith_and_values/public-rises-to-help-world-s-tallest-man-buy-shoes/article_809d94aa-5d82-59b3-9031-badd168b4b3a.html|website=Post and Courier}} At that time, he was already at least {{convert|6|ft|cm|sigfig=4}} tall.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjG6qIfoMeI Meet the tallest man in the world], 60 Minutes Australia (23 June 2018)

Vovkovinskiy acted in commercials and films, including the 2011 comedy Hall Pass, and became better known for wearing a T-shirt that read "World's Biggest Obama Supporter" to a Barack Obama rally.{{Cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/president-has-no-trouble-spotting-his-biggest-fan/59136697/|title=President has no trouble spotting his biggest fan|website=Star Tribune|access-date=2020-10-28|archive-date=2020-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101141733/https://www.startribune.com/president-has-no-trouble-spotting-his-biggest-fan/59136697/|url-status=dead}}. He was the first official tallest living person from two countries. He joined singer Zlata Ognevich in representing Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22566260 Eurovision Song Contest won by Denmark], BBC News (19 May 2013)

Vovkovinskiy's height was attributed to a tumor pressing on his pituitary gland, causing it to release an excessive amount of growth hormone.{{Cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/news/igor-vovkovinskiy-americas-tallest-man-lives-in-rochester-cant-find-shoes-6555608|title=Igor Vovkovinskiy, America's tallest man, lives in Rochester, can't find shoes|first=Aaron|last=Rupar|website=City Pages|access-date=2020-01-10|archive-date=2019-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910063617/http://www.citypages.com/news/igor-vovkovinskiy-americas-tallest-man-lives-in-rochester-cant-find-shoes-6555608|url-status=dead}} In 2019, he said on his YouTube channel that he was undergoing treatment for a heart condition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVVqrOWafpJOmg2G-_10Rjg|title=IgorTheUkrainian - YouTube|website=youtube.com}}

Vovkovinskiy was hospitalized for heart disease and died on August 20, 2021, at age 38.{{Cite web|url= https://krocnews.com/rochester-man-tallest-in-the-united-states-has-died/|title=Rochester Man -Tallest in the United States- Has Died}}{{Cite web|date=2021-08-23|title=Igor Vovkovinskiy, tallest man in US, dies in Minnesota|url=https://apnews.com/article/Americas-tallest-man-Igor-Vovkovinskiy-3947bf2c16804b58c778b60ac222fba5|access-date=2021-08-24|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}