Felipe Birriel
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Felipe Birriel, also known as "El Gigante de Carolina" (The Giant of Carolina) (August 16, 1916-March 15, 1994), born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, is considered to have been the tallest Puerto Rican person, measuring 7'11" (2.413 meters).
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[edit] Early years
Felipe was the son of Pedro and Dionisia Birriel and was the oldest of six siblings. He only attended up to second grade in school. As a child, Felipe was sent to the farm fields where he helped his parents plant vegetable seeds, and he also worked in the fields picking fruits and coffee beans and as a waterboy, delivering water to the sugar cane workers.
In 1932, when Felipe was 16 years old, he started to grow at an alarming rate. One day, he went to visit a doctor because he felt sick with dizzy spells and because he also was feeling weak. The doctor informed Felipe that for some unknown reason, his pituitary gland had developed a tumor. Even though the condition did not have a known cure, it was still treatable.
[edit] Condition treatment
The treatment required a radio therapy machine which could only be found in the United States. The machine was sent for in 1932 but it wasn't until 1941 — nine years later — that it finally arrived in Puerto Rico.
[edit] Later years
Felipe lived with his brother and sister-in-law in Carolina and became something of a folk hero and became known as "El Gigante de Carolina" (The Giant of Carolina). In 1974, during the celebration of the FIBA World Basketball Championships celebrated in San Juan, Felipe was the guest of honor and was invited to the court and in front of all the spectators (eventhough he was old) he dunked the ball without jumping. A standing ovation followed.
The Government of Puerto Rico and local businessmen helped him economically, since his daily personal needs could not be met with the money he could earn in personal appearances. The owners of local furniture stores had special furniture made for Felipe. His health, however, progressively worsened and he died from a heart attack on March 15, 1994, at the age of 77, in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Birriel was unique in reaching a relatively old age while being as tall as he was; most extremely tall people tend to experience serious disabling medical conditions such as the ones that eventually crippled, and then killed, Robert Wadlow (the tallest human in the world during his lifetime) at an early age.
[edit] Honors
Carolina is also known as the "City of the Giants" in honor of Felipe. Carolina also unveiled a mural which states the following: "Carolina Tierra de Gigantes" (Carolina City of Giants). The BSN basketball team of Carolina is called "Los Gigantes de Carolina" (The Carolina Giants) and the town has dedicated a museum to the memory of Felipe and has also named a street "El Paseo Felipe Birriel".
