Sandy Allen
Encyclopedia
Sandra Elaine "Sandy" Allen (June 18, 1955 – August 13, 2008) was a U.S. woman recognized as the tallest woman during her life according to Guinness World Records
. She was 7 ft. 7¼ in. (232 cm) in height.
Allen wrote a book titled Cast A Giant Shadow, and appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records since 1976. Although over the years other women have taken over the title, Allen had held it for the last sixteen years of her life. Her abnormal height was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland
that caused it to release growth hormone
uncontrollably. At the age of twenty-two years, she underwent surgery for the condition. Lacking this procedure, Allen would have continued to grow and suffer further medical problems associated with gigantism
.
She appeared in the Academy Award
-winning Italian film Il Casanova di Federico Fellini, in a TV movie called Side Show
, and in a Canadian/American documentary film
called Being Different. The New Zealand
band Split Enz
immortalized her in a song, "Hello Sandy Allen
," released on their 1982 album Time and Tide. Allen never married and was reported to have never had a serious boyfriend.
In later years Allen used a wheel-chair because her legs and back could not support her tall stature in a standing position. At one point in her life, she was bedridden due to disease, causing atrophy of the muscles. Because of this limitation, she spent her last years in Shelbyville, Indiana
, in a retirement center, the same one as Edna Parker
, the current record holder of oldest living human at the time, who actually survived Allen for a few months.
The Indianapolis Star
reported that Allen died early in the morning of August 13, 2008 from sepsis
of the blood.
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
. She was 7 ft. 7¼ in. (232 cm) in height.
Allen wrote a book titled Cast A Giant Shadow, and appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records since 1976. Although over the years other women have taken over the title, Allen had held it for the last sixteen years of her life. Her abnormal height was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland
Pituitary gland
In vertebrate anatomy the pituitary gland, or hypophysis, is an endocrine gland about the size of a pea and weighing 0.5 g , in humans. It is a protrusion off the bottom of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain, and rests in a small, bony cavity covered by a dural fold...
that caused it to release growth hormone
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Growth hormone is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior...
uncontrollably. At the age of twenty-two years, she underwent surgery for the condition. Lacking this procedure, Allen would have continued to grow and suffer further medical problems associated with gigantism
Gigantism
Gigantism, also known as giantism , is a condition characterized by excessive growth and height significantly above average...
.
She appeared in the Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-winning Italian film Il Casanova di Federico Fellini, in a TV movie called Side Show
Side Show
Side Show is a musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who make a change from being a circus act to becoming famous stage performers in the 1930s. The show was written by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger . The show starred Alice Ripley as Violet and Emily Skinner as Daisy...
, and in a Canadian/American documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
called Being Different. The New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
band Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
immortalized her in a song, "Hello Sandy Allen
Hello Sandy Allen
"Hello Sandy Allen" is the final single from New Zealand art rock group Split Enz's album Time and Tide. It was written by Neil Finn and released as a single in 1983...
," released on their 1982 album Time and Tide. Allen never married and was reported to have never had a serious boyfriend.
In later years Allen used a wheel-chair because her legs and back could not support her tall stature in a standing position. At one point in her life, she was bedridden due to disease, causing atrophy of the muscles. Because of this limitation, she spent her last years in Shelbyville, Indiana
Shelbyville, Indiana
Shelbyville is a city in Addison Township, Shelby County, Indiana, United States. The population was 17,951 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Shelby County...
, in a retirement center, the same one as Edna Parker
Edna Parker
Edna Ruth Parker was an American supercentenarian and, until her death, was recognized as the oldest person in the world following the death of Yone Minagawa of Japan on August 13, 2007. She assumed the title at age 114 years 115 days...
, the current record holder of oldest living human at the time, who actually survived Allen for a few months.
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star
The Indianapolis Star is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6, 1903. It has won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting twice, in 1975 and 1991. It is currently owned by the Gannett Company.-History:...
reported that Allen died early in the morning of August 13, 2008 from sepsis
Sepsis
Sepsis is a potentially deadly medical condition that is characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state and the presence of a known or suspected infection. The body may develop this inflammatory response by the immune system to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin, or other tissues...
of the blood.
External links
- article on Sandy and her video - Education World.
- MSNBC.com story
- NY Times story
- Obituary in the Evansville Courier & PressEvansville Courier & PressThe Evansville Courier & Press is a local newspaper in Evansville, Indiana. The Evansville Courier & Press serves 58,098 daily and 86,201 Sunday readers in 30 counties in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. In 2002 and 2004, the newspaper was named the state's "Blue Ribbon Daily" by the Hoosier State...
- Sandy Allen at Findagrave