A Las Vegas woman with a growth abnormality died Monday. The condition caused the 34-year-old to grow to seven-feet-tall, and weigh 400 pounds.
Acromegaly, or gigantism, is caused by a pituitary tumor which causes an overproduction of growth hormones.
Tanya Angus went from a 5 foot 8 model, to seven-feet, two inches tall. She grew so much over the next decade that her rings had to be modified, she had to use custom utensils, and she got around in a motorized wheelchair.
“Yes I know I don’t look feminine, I don’t look girly anymore but I want people to know that if you get diagnosed early you won't turn out like me,” said Tanya, in a previous CNN interview.
Her story has helped hundreds of families around the world.
A show of appreciation hangs on the wall at her moms, one from a captain in the military, who credits her life to Tanya. They found out she had a tumor acromegaly.
Doctors immediately did the surgery while it was early. And she had followed Tanya’s story for two years, so she knew what it was.
And although Tanya’s time has been cut short, Strutynski believes her daughter's memory will continue through the lives she's saved.
“I am so proud of her she's done the very best she could.”
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