“I know I’m a small person. It’s not the end of the world just because I’m small. I have some obstacles that I have to overcome, but I overcome them every day. I can’t achieve many things, like for example my bed and my table, which were specially adapted to my height. I (also) never had a boyfriend during my school days. I have the feeling that nobody would want that either, since I am in a wheelchair and am small. ”
At 72 cm, 19-year-old schoolgirl Wildine is the shortest woman in the world. She wants to explain her short stature on the Internet.
“I was born with a rare form of short stature, a severe form of achondroplasia. As a result, I’m a bit shorter, about 72 cm tall.”
The American was born at just 28 cm. However, the doctors give her little chance of survival.
The short stature presents the schoolgirl with many health challenges, which is why she often has to stay in the hospital for several weeks.
The student has to protect herself, especially during the corona pandemic.
“I’m currently being taught online because I’m a high-risk patient. The only thing I miss are my friends.”
Wildine is also often restricted in her everyday life and therefore dependent on help.
“I can’t reach many things, such as my bed and my desk, which are specially adapted for my height. I also have a special wheelchair that allows me to move around and allows me to be a little independent. It’s a big help. I would say the wheelchair is an extension of my mobility.”
Still, she leads a normal life as a teenager in high school.
“I was the only small person, but all my friends accept me for who I am. I’ve never been bullied or anything like that. I buy most of my clothes online. Depending on which stores I can find parts that fit me. Lots People ask me if I buy my clothes from the children’s department, but I don’t really. It all depends.”
The 19-year-old has her own YouTube channel, where she uploads videos on topics such as beauty and fashion.
“I like social media. I can be who I am there because there are hardly any people out there with the same type of short stature that I have. I also have Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube. Even on Tiktok I have mostly positive feedback I didn’t expect that because the users there can be very mean. I’ve had very good experiences with YouTube. There I got comments like “She’s so cool” or “You taught me so much”. One person even made a fan page for me. Every once in a while I get weird messages but I just don’t reply.”
On her YouTube channel, she wants to encourage others and show how she copes with everyday life with her short stature.
“I want people to learn more about short stature because it’s a very rare disease. I want them to know that I’m still a normal person. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you. You shouldn’t listen to the opinions of the I hear a lot of negative people telling you what to do and what not to do. You can do anything. You just have to find a way and then you can do it.”
In October 2022, Wildine becomes the first Haitian-American to set a Guinness World Record for her height. She is very proud of her history and already has big plans for her future.