He Pingping

He Pingping was the world's shortest man according to the Guinness Book of Records. Pingping measured 2 ft. 5.37 in. (74.61 cm).Bitten & Bound: He Ping Ping World’s Shortest Man (Photos) (August 20, 2008)

On March 13, 2010, He died at the age of 21 in a Rome, Italy hospital. According to a Guinness representative, his death was heart-related. He had been admitted two weeks earlier after complaining of chest pain.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/03/15/2010-03-15_guiness_recordholder_as_worlds_shortest_man_he_pingping_dead_at_21.html

He Pingping was born in Inner Mongolia. He had two sisters who don't have the same condition, and have developed to normal length. When it became obvious that He was not growing, he was diagnosed with Osteogenesis imperfecta, which caused his bones and bodily height to develop abnormally. He was recognized as the "World's Shortest Man" with the publication of the 2009 edition of the Guinness World Records book after being measured at his home town in Mongolia in March 2008. He Pingping attended the launch of the book in New York City in 2008.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_worlds_shortest_man_he_pingping_makes_tr.html

His brother-in-law Liu Ve En stated to Daily News on their visit to the United States:

"It's like a dream for him to come to New York. It's overwhelming, but everyone has been extremely nice."

Despite his length, He Pingping managed to lead a somewhat normal life, watching TV, listening to music and smoking. He lived in a house that has some adaptions to his height, including lows doorknobs and a high chair allowing him to eat from a table. According to reports, PingPing had girlfriends in China.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/09/19/2008-09-19_worlds_shortest_man_he_pingping_makes_tr.html#ixzz0gN5GTPXdbr/

The claim of "World's Shortest Man" was contested by Chinese citizen Wu Kang, who measures only 68cm, just under 2ft 3 in. (about two inches shorter than He). However, 22-year-old Wu Kang was considering undergoing a growth hormone treatment to enable him to grow, thus invalidating his "World's Shortest Man" claim.http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/809003-big-decision-for-worlds-smallest-man

He often appeared with other record-holders, including a July 2007 meeting with the world's tallest man, Bao Xishun, in a highly televised press event in Tokyo.Mail Online: Worlds apart: The moment the tallest man met the shortest (July 17, 2007) On September 16, 2008, he helped launch a new edition of the Guinnes Book of World's Records in a joint appearance with Svetlana Pankratova, the woman with the world's longest legs.Telegraph: World's smallest man meets woman with longest legs (September 16, 2008)

He Pingping also met with the "World's Tallest Man", Sultan Kosen, in January 2010 in Istanbul, at an event celebrating the launch of the Guinness World Records live roadshow.http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/809104-new-worlds-tallest-man-meets-current-worlds-shortest-man

Another contestant to the "World's Shortest Man", called Khagendra Thapa Magar has emerged. Magar, a Nepali teenager of 17, is flying to Italy, where he is planning to file his claim Guinness World Records. Magar will turn 18 later in 2010, which will make him eligable for the claim of "World's Shortest Man". Magar is only 22 inches tall, while the shortest man ever measured was Indian Gul Mohammed, who measured 22.4 inches. If Magar's claim is approved later this year, he'll be over seven inches shorter than He Pinging, who measures 29 inches. In the media, the contest between the two is already called a "Nepal vs China"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1252880/Worlds-smallest-man-He-Pingping-Khagendra-Thapa-Magar.html#ixzz0gNSfkj0V