He was born during the depths of the Cold War on Aug. 21, 1973, to parents who both stood only 5 feet 5 inches tall. The explanation for his immense size comes from his grandmother. She spoke of an Asiatic tribe called the Tartars (derived from Tarturus, the Greek god of the underworld), who had once conquered Russia and spread terror throughout most of Europe. She said her grandfather was "a giant of a man called Vasily," and a direct descendant of this warrior race.
