Woman who couldn't stop growing dies at 34
LAS VEGAS (AP) - As a teenager growing up in Las Vegas, Tanya Angus strutted along fashion runways. She was 5 feet 8 inches tall.
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.
"'Mom, I don't know why I got it,'" Karen Strutynski recalled her daughter saying. "'But I guess God decided that I could handle it.'"
Handle it she did - by appearing on television specials and in the news, and talking about the condition that left her face misshapen and gave her chronic growing pains.
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.
"There's nothing made for giants," her mother explained.
Some people judged her daughter, Strutynski said, believing she used a wheelchair because she lacked the discipline to keep her weight down. What they didn't know is that she ate one meal a day, and her medications caused her face to swell, her mother said.
"People were very cruel until she went into the media," Strutynski said.
After television appearances, Angus became an advocate for those with the disease, corresponding with people from some 60 countries to help them.
She saw her mission as helping others get diagnosed before it was too late and the disease got out of control, her mother said.
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."
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.
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Handle it she did - by appearing on television specials and in the news, and talking about the condition that left her face misshapen and gave her chronic growing pains.
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.
"There's nothing made for giants," her mother explained.
Some people judged her daughter, Strutynski said, believing she used a wheelchair because she lacked the discipline to keep her weight down. What they didn't know is that she ate one meal a day, and her medications caused her face to swell, her mother said.
"People were very cruel until she went into the media," Strutynski said.
After television appearances, Angus became an advocate for those with the disease, corresponding with people from some 60 countries to help them.
She saw her mission as helping others get diagnosed before it was too late and the disease got out of control, her mother said.
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."
What I find interesting is the assumptions that are being made by some here. Not everyone that is large is so due to poor diet or lack of exercise. Many people I know who have had bone marrow or organ transplants are very large due to the weight gain from the steroids that they have to take to prevent rejection. I am overweight due to the medications I take for a rare nerve disorder.  All may not be as it seems.Â
the only reason MOST of the people create accounts on here are to judge other people or pick fights is just sad. If you wanna do that go on your myspace or facebook or twitter etc...... thats where you can act like your 5 cause we dont need it on here
This disease is seen as tragic, yet  we treat "economic growth" (overpopulation and rising resource consumption) as a "good" thing, even though it's destroying major life support systems on this finite planet.
 @Alec Sevins Economic growth? The criminals in DC have put an end to that. It's all part of the global plan of Agenda 21. World population is at its peak and will rapidly descend. The bankers are causing economies to implode using fiat money and we will all end up poor slaves. Globalists are purposely creating mutated diseases that can't be controlled and keeping them in low-security venues knowing they will be leaked into the public either by accident or by CIA-controlled terrorists. So don't worry buddy, you'll get your utopian society but, unless your one of the elite, you won't be here to enjoy it.
 @Alec Sevins You believe in myths. As population increases so does the quality of life for higher percentages of people.Â
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Learn more at overpopulationisamyth dot com.
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BTW, do you usually work so hard to morph one story into something completely off topic ? !
This is so sad. Â Others should not judge we see it on here all the time. Â Condolences to your family.Â
My condolences go out to the family of this Dear Angel....She is now Happy, Healthy, and free from the restrictions she was plauged with here on Earth....She is a Beautiful Angel looking over us now....Prayers to her and the family in the time of loss....Would love to have meet her here on Earth...but will someday in Heaven when I get to come home too....Hugs!!! On a side note I just saw a special on TLC today about her and the condition that is also affecting some other people around the world....And sadly they didn't at the end have any remarks as to her: IN Memory of....
@Crystal Parker-Samateh Sorry but no god, no angels, no heaven.
this is tragic, and even if she didn't have a disorder causing weight gain it's not fair for people to judge. Every person has struggles, whether medical or emotional or spiritual... Maybe the person who judges one person for being overweight can't manage their money??? The point is that all humans have strengths and frailties.
Another weird one that people may judge is Marfan syndrome  - people can get really tall and often seem too skinny.  We need to reserve judgement because all too often it has nothing to do with diet or discipline.  And of course, when a country allows lies in advertising and diet aids with chemicals banned in other countries you also get people who eat very poorly.  No surprise there either.Â
 @BCH mom You know about Marfan Syndrome. I pray it is due to reading about it and not due to the fact you have it. Many of my family members have or have had it. It is a connective tissue disorder that results in the joints becoming elongated. This the tall height. It also causes the blood vessels and arteries to weaken resulting in many aneurysms.
I know how this woman must have felt. I grew to 5'10" by age 16 and also continually gained weight in my teens. The height is genetic and the weight is Hypothyroidism diagnosed in my early 20's. People who saw me just thought I was a fat girl, which I was. Fact is, I couldn't help it. I never got the point where I couldn't walk or anything like that but I was heavy. I still am though less so now. I used to hate it when people said "you have such a pretty face. You could be a model if you only lost weight." Sadly, I am now also Type 2 diabetic but that goes hand in hand with Hypothyroidism and my family genetics so keeping weight down as much as possible is struggle and a need. I chuckle when people get excited over losing 10lbs. I do a jig of sheer joy when I lose 2. It takes me a month to lose 2 or 3 pounds. Luckily enough, with a great doctor and the right combination of medication, I am able to keep my weight down (though I'll never be a skinny mini) and stay as healthy as I possibly can. People see what is on the outside but they don't always know what's going on inside. To those who used to tell me I have a pretty face, I use to reply my face may be pretty but my inside is beautiful. This woman was, and will continue to be, an inspiration & a beautiful person. Her inner beauty fought with her outer shell and won. Not every overweight person is that way by their own fault but, because society sees weight as ugly, they are still judged as ugly. I hope someday people will be more compassionate but I do understand that what you see on the outside is the first impression and you have to work hard to get people to see the inner you. May Tanya rest in peace and may her beautiful soul soar.
RIP Tanya you won't be forgotten.
Its more technical name is Acromegaly. I have it, but thank God it's nowhere near what Tanya suffered.
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One of the major problems is the cost of the medication. I have to take 2 injections a day and if it weren't for really great health insurance through my employer, I could never afford the $10,000 per month cost. And that's for a minor case.
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Even with the tumor removed, the pituitary STILL signals the liver (yes, that damned old liver) to produce excess growth hormone, just like it did in Tanya's case, though hers apparently produced a whole lot more.
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Rest in Peace, beautiful lady. You were an inspiration to everyone.
 @Mikey Sorry to hear about your problem and glad you have it in control with meds. Don't even mind helping pay for them via my insurance premiums even though we rarely see eye to eye politically a certainly probably don't literally. My dad is in the same boat with $2k/month meds and a friend who is not so lucky with $1k/month for eye injections not covered because considered experimental.
 @FreedomRocks Thanks, FR. I look at as just another experience on the journey of life. I know that for some people it's not politically correct in saying so, but God's been very good to me and everything I get to experience in this life is just icing on the cake, even if it might hurt or sometimes be uncomfortable. I try to learn from it all and hopefully grow from each opportunity to experience a different aspect of life.
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I just hope that I can be as brave as Tanya as I face the future.
 @Mikey  @FreedomRocks Wishing you courage, joy, peace and  showers of unconditional love from every direction as you face the future! Thx for your courage in sharing your story with us.Â
Thank you, Tanya. I am well and truly humbled by your example! RIP
Rest in peace, Tanya. You didn't deserve this.
So, sad, RIP young lady.
This is sad but it appears that she keep her spirits up through it all. She is to be admired for her positive attitude in spite of her declining health.
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I had a school mate who had this and he just kept growing and growing till he died at 19. He was the first funeral I ever went to that wasn't a family member and wasn't old. I still remember it to this day.
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On another note, some people are big due to medical problems or genetics and others are big due to lack of life style. Some big folks like to believe that they have a medical issue when they are really just lazy and look for any excuse they can to keep from having to change their lifestyle.
Could have saved the preaching for another time there, Ralph.
 @RatchetRanger Gosh yes. Another time...
 @RatchetRangerÂ
Maybe. But I don't like other large people using stuff like this to justify their lifestyle. I see that too often.
 @First  @whirledworldÂ
In 0bamacare there is no incentive to stay healthy. Since everyone is covered and no one can be turned down.
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Oh, maybe that is the reason that my insurance premiums are going through the roof. I am paying for those who don't take care of themselves. Wow, this was an epiphany for me...../sarcasm off/
 @whirledworld   When it starts to affect the insurance premiums I have to pay, it becomes my business. If healthcare was tiered as any other insurance was, meaning unhealthy (e.g. overweight) people had to pay more to offset their risk factor, then I would keep my opinions to myself. Unfortunately though, that is not the case. I am very healthy and work hard to be such, and don't think I should have to pay more to help offset the cost of ones that have no self-respect. There are cases like Tanya where ones truly cannot do much to better their health; that is not usually the case however.
 @RalphCramden  @Debicakes928  @RatchetRanger except for all the people who did manage to get clean and sober with the help of those programs. One size does not fit all.Â
 @RalphCramden  @RatchetRanger It's not your business to judge them. They get enough unsolicited/incorrect/cruel/busybody  judgement  from people every day and it is in very poor manners to even do that. Please ...out of compassion... and good manners,  do  try to MYOB and  think about putting your attention towards something more constructive which uplifts people  in the world somehow.
I am not contrary !!
 @Debicakes928    @RatchetRangerÂ
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What is negative about it? I am stating facts. Even the CDC backs me up if you care to go look.
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As for making any changes in another person's poor decision making processes, I learned decades ago that it is a total waste or time and energy.
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Andy Dufresne: "Dear Warden, You were right. Salvation lay within" - Shawshank Redemption.
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This is why drug and alcohol programs are a total waste of time.
@RalphCramden @RatchetRanger So, RalphCramden, your negative, off-topic response is going to control another person who is deciding to overeat and not exercise?Â
R.I.P Young Lady.
That is really sad... she may have lost her physical beauty, but it sure sounds as though she retained her "inner beauty" ~ going to the media to get the word out about this little-known disease, then working to help and encourage other people who had or might have it. Â Â
Rest in peace, Tanya Angus... Condolences go to her family and friends for their loss.
 @margay1 Physical beauty? Did you see that sweet smile when she was holding her little dog? OMG THAT is beautiful!
"An autopsy is pending, but Strutynski said it appears Angus died after catching a cold and developing a tear in her heart."
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Failure of the heart muscle is a common form a death for people with this catagory if conditions.
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Either they get so large physically as a normal sized heart muscle is unable to pump blood effectively and then it arrests, or the heart muscle itself continues to grow and is unable to contain itself because the walls get thin relative to the volume and tear or rupture. The latter is what appears to be speculated as the cause of her death.
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These folks can grow VERY large. Like sharks, as long as they live, they can continue to get taller and sometimes depending on the condition, just plain larger.
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It's sad this woman died so young from her condition.
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People can be pretty cruel and judgmental. I hope this lady has finally found the peace she deserves.