Junrey Balawing facts for kids

Junrey Balawing was a Filipino man who held the record for being the world's shortest man alive. He was born on June 12, 1993, and passed away on July 28, 2020. Junrey was only about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) tall. He became famous when Guinness World Records officially declared him the shortest man on his 18th birthday.

Junrey's Early Life

Junrey Balawing was born in a town called Sindangan in the Zamboanga del Norte province of the Philippines. This area is about 865 kilometers (537 miles) south of the capital city, Manila. His father worked as a blacksmith. Junrey stopped growing when he was just one year old.

Becoming the World's Shortest Person

When Junrey was declared the world's shortest living man, he broke the record previously held by Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal. Khagendra was about 67 centimeters (2 feet 2.5 inches) tall. Even though Junrey was the shortest living man, he was not the shortest man in history. That record belonged to Gul Mohammed of India, who was 57 centimeters (1 foot 10.5 inches) tall. Gul Mohammed passed away in 1997.

Holding and Losing the Record

In February 2012, another man from Nepal, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, was found to be even shorter than Junrey. Chandra Bahadur Dangi was only 54.6 centimeters (1 foot 9.5 inches) tall. This meant he became the new record holder for the shortest living man ever. So, Junrey held the record for less than a year.

His Later Years and Passing

After Chandra Bahadur Dangi passed away on September 3, 2015, Junrey Balawing once again held the title of the world's shortest living man. He kept this record until his own death. Junrey passed away at the age of 27 on July 28, 2020. He had been staying in the hospital because of pneumonia. Before he passed away, he lived with his family in Dapitan.

See also

In Spanish: Junrey Balawing para niños

• List of shortest people