An Austrian man opens up about being the tallest man in the room

BEING a giant doesn’t come without its struggles, but one Austrian man has managed to embrace his unique physique.

What it’s like to be a giant

BEING a giant doesn’t come without its struggles, but one Austrian man has managed to embrace his unique physique.

Standing at 6’11, Michael can’t remember a time when he hasn’t been the tallest man in the room.

“In secondary school, my mother actually wanted me to see a doctor because she was genuinely worried that I might never stop growing,” he told Vice.

Michael describes his build as the cause of much distress during his schooling.

“I guess my height made me an easy target for all the other kids, so I eventually ended up just not going to class,” he said.

“I was really depressed.”

The feelings of teenage angst wouldn’t last forever and when he finished school, Michael started to realise the benefits to being so tall.

“I always have the best view, I can change a light bulb without a stool, I win every race, and I always get that seat by the emergency exit,” he said.

“I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m not an error, I’m something far more special.”

The door frame is too low for Michael. Picture: Vice

While Michael may have found peace with his height, he said being tall isn’t without its burdens.

“There’s a good bit of Vienna’s tram system that I simply can’t use,” he said.

“Its train cars are too small for me to stand up straight, and I can’t sit down, unless I curl up into a sort of ball and press my knees against my face.

“Dressing yourself is an issue that deserves its own category.

“It’s not too often that I come across a place that sells clothes in my size, but when I do, their selection is awful.”

Michael said because he stands two heads taller than most, engaging in conversation also poses a problem.

“I can rarely figure out what’s being said,” he said.

“Going to the pub is a particular nightmare, it’s impossible to hear a word through all the noise.”

Conversation can be quite difficult.

In order to make his life more functional, Michael said he has done extensive remodelling to his apartment.

“High ceilings were the first necessity but plenty of other smaller trivial things needed a reworking, too,” he said.

“Adjusting the shower head so it wasn’t at navel height and fixing the kitchen counter so I no longer had to chop vegetables at a 90-degree angle.”

Michael said for the most part he has managed to live a fairly normal life and he doesn’t consider himself different to anyone else.

“It took a lot of time and effort to get to this point, to relax and feel comfortable in my own body,” he said.

“Of course I wish that sometimes people would be a little more polite but my negative experiences are few and far between.

“It’s just a lot of unwanted attention, that’s all.”