Supporters Donate Over $37K to Help America’s Tallest Man Buy Shoes

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America’s tallest man, Igor Vovkovinskiy, isn’t quite so happy with his accolade lately. The colossal 29-year-old from Rochester Minn., stands in at 7-foot-8 and has had over 16 foot surgeries in the last five years. The reason? At size 26, no shoes on the market are able to fit his feet and provide proper support, causing various foot problems. Vovkovinskiy’s only solution is buying a pair of $15,000 customized shoes, WCCO, Minnesota’s local news channel reports.

(MORE: With Medical Help, World’s Tallest Man May Have Stopped Growing)

After unsuccessfully writing to Oprah, ABC News, and Michelle Obama for contributions,Vovkovinskiy turned to the public for help. He started the webpage  “Igor Needs Shoes” for donations. The response has been surprisingly sizable, with over 1200 donations and dozens of inspirational comments from supporters. As of Friday he’s received over $37,000 — more than double his initial goal. The kindness of strangers really does pay off.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do first when I get that pair of shoes. I have so many things I want to do, just a simple walk,” Vovkovinski told WCCO. Looks like Carrie Bradshaw isn’t the only one who thought a new pair of shoes could be life changing