But at the time of her death
Monday, the 34-year-old Angus stood 7 feet 2 inches and weighed about
400 pounds. She was a victim of a rare disorder called acromegaly that
wouldn't let her stop growing. In children the condition is known as
gigantism.
Her condition was the result of the release of too much growth hormone caused by a non-cancerous tumor on her pituitary gland.
The disorder affected just about
everything for Angus. She couldn't pull even the largest of shirts over
her head, because she couldn't fit through the collar. She needed
specially made shoes, and jewelers stretched her rings to size 20.
An autopsy is pending, but Strutynski said it appears Angus died after catching a cold and developing a tear in her heart.
Her mother plans to keep up Angus' website and continue corresponding with patients struggling to deal with the disease.
"We can't let it end. It's just too important," Strutynski said, her voice cracking. "We can't just let it die with Tanya."