26-year-old Rumeysa Gelgi from Turkey is used to her life being different from most people’s. At 2.15 meters tall, she is officially recognized as the tallest woman in the world and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Because of her height, Rumeysa faces numerous challenges in everyday life. She has difficulty finding suitable clothing, ordinary cars are too small, and doorways and ceilings are often too low.

Nevertheless, the woman herself says that the record has helped her change attitudes about her uniqueness.

“It was important for me to have my height officially recognized. I was born with a serious condition, and many always perceived it as a disadvantage. Now I want to show that even what seems like a problem can be turned into an advantage,” she explains.

When Rumeysa was just four months old, doctors diagnosed her with Weaver syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disorder that causes accelerated bone growth. Only about 150 people worldwide are known to have this diagnosis.

According to the girl, doctors couldn’t predict how tall she would grow for a long time. Doctors decided to begin special therapy to accelerate puberty and stop her growth earlier.

In addition to her extraordinary height, Rumeysa faced other health problems, including scoliosis and a heart defect. Due to frequent hospitalizations, she had to be homeschooled.

Over time, Rumeysa learned to adapt to her height. Special furniture was made for her—a bed, a chair, and a desk.

Driving a regular car is uncomfortable for her, so she mostly travels in a van.

For a long time, Rumeysa believed she couldn’t travel on airplanes. Due to metal structures in her spine, she can’t sit upright for long—two or three hours at most.

Furthermore, her height puts additional strain on her back.

Even business class seats with reclining seats weren’t suitable for her—they were too short. However, in 2022, her dream finally came true. Turkish Airlines arranged a special seat for Rumeysa, allocating six seats with a stretcher so she could lie down during the flight.

“It was the first time something like this had happened on a regular commercial flight. Everyone was so kind to me. Of course, people were watching, but many came up and asked if I was okay,” she recalls.

Rumeysa is unfazed by the interest.

Today, she tries to use her fame to educate people about Weaver syndrome. According to her, the condition is so rare that even many doctors don’t know about it.

“I want to show people that you can’t judge a person by their appearance alone. Even what seems like a flaw can be turned into a strength,” Rumeysa is confident.