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Can I have a short please? Tiny teen enjoys his first beer as he becomes world's new smallest man
By Daily Mail ReporterLast updated at 3:24 PM on 10th June 2011
The 22-inch Filipino turns 18 on Sunday when Guinness World Records will award him the crown - which he takes from Nepal's 26.4-inch Khagendra Thapa Magar.
Mr Balawing said: 'I am so excited! I am small, but now I am a man.
'I have tried beer for the first time. I like it but can only have a little. I want a beautiful wife.
'I know she will probably be taller than me. I can't wait for my party.'
His proud mother Concepcion, 35, and 37-year-old father Reynaldo, from a tiny village near the town of Zamboanga del Norte, have been invited to a reception with the local mayor.
Mrs Balawing said: 'We've been told the people from Guinness need to measure Junrey three times in one day to confirm his height. Only then can he be named the smallest man in the world.
'It's very exciting because we are a poor family and things like this have never happened before.
'I can't believe Junrey is going to be famous all over the world and people are flying from countries like Britain and America to see him.'
The young man is the same size as a one-year-old and loves to ride on top of his father's shoulders or be carried by his mother.
His family said he stopped growing after his first birthday and has remained the same size ever since.
His mother said she first noticed something was wrong as Junrey approached the age of two but no doctor was able to help.
She said: 'He was always sick and we noticed he wasn't growing so we took him to see a doctor but they were baffled.'
When Junrey was 12 the family took him back to the doctor but the only advice they received was to give him vitamins, which the family couldn't afford.
Other doctors in the capital Manila refused to treat Junrey for less than 100,000 pesos (£1,500) - more than a lifetime's wage for Reynaldo, who works as a blacksmith in a nearby town.
He said: 'I am only home at weekends because I have to work so much to feed the family.
'But even if I worked every day for the rest of my life I couldn't afford the expensive doctors in Manila.'
He didn't even realise his son was set to be a record breaker until contacted by Guinness.
He said: 'I was picked up by police one time then brought to the mayor's office.
'The mayor told me that on Junrey's birthday there will be an important visitor who will come and I should bring Junrey with me.
'It was only then I realised Junrey was about to become famous far beyond our little village.
'There's going to be a big party for Junrey in the town attended by lots of important people.'
Junrey's younger but siblings Jaycel, 13, Jay-art, 11, and Jeanritch, six, who are all tall, go to school while their older brother stays at home with his mother.
Concepcion said: 'I would love to be able to work while my other children are at school but I can't leave Junrey. He needs my care every minute of every day.
'Junrey can only walk with some help and he can't stand for too long because he's in too much pain.
'But he loves it when I tell him he's the smallest man in the world - he is beaming with pride.'
Junrey Balawing sips a beer nearly as big as him as he celebrates becoming the world's smallest man.
The 22-inch Filipino turns 18 on Sunday when Guinness World Records will award him the crown - which he takes from Nepal's 26.4-inch Khagendra Thapa Magar.
Mr Balawing said: 'I am so excited! I am small, but now I am a man.
'I have tried beer for the first time. I like it but can only have a little. I want a beautiful wife.
'I know she will probably be taller than me. I can't wait for my party.'
Celebration: Junrey Balawing from the Philippines will be awarded the title of the world's smallest man on his 18th birthday this weekend
Meet the parents: Junrey Balawing with his mother and father, Reynaldo (L) and Concepcion in the Philippines
Mrs Balawing said: 'We've been told the people from Guinness need to measure Junrey three times in one day to confirm his height. Only then can he be named the smallest man in the world.
'It's very exciting because we are a poor family and things like this have never happened before.
'I can't believe Junrey is going to be famous all over the world and people are flying from countries like Britain and America to see him.'
The young man is the same size as a one-year-old and loves to ride on top of his father's shoulders or be carried by his mother.
Tiny teen: Junrey is so small most of his 18th birthday presents are bigger than he is
His mother said she first noticed something was wrong as Junrey approached the age of two but no doctor was able to help.
She said: 'He was always sick and we noticed he wasn't growing so we took him to see a doctor but they were baffled.'
When Junrey was 12 the family took him back to the doctor but the only advice they received was to give him vitamins, which the family couldn't afford.
Too tall: Nepalese man Khagendra Thapa Magar, at 26.4 inches, is now only the world's second smallest man
He said: 'I am only home at weekends because I have to work so much to feed the family.
'But even if I worked every day for the rest of my life I couldn't afford the expensive doctors in Manila.'
He didn't even realise his son was set to be a record breaker until contacted by Guinness.
He said: 'I was picked up by police one time then brought to the mayor's office.
'The mayor told me that on Junrey's birthday there will be an important visitor who will come and I should bring Junrey with me.
'It was only then I realised Junrey was about to become famous far beyond our little village.
'There's going to be a big party for Junrey in the town attended by lots of important people.'
Junrey's younger but siblings Jaycel, 13, Jay-art, 11, and Jeanritch, six, who are all tall, go to school while their older brother stays at home with his mother.
Concepcion said: 'I would love to be able to work while my other children are at school but I can't leave Junrey. He needs my care every minute of every day.
'Junrey can only walk with some help and he can't stand for too long because he's in too much pain.
'But he loves it when I tell him he's the smallest man in the world - he is beaming with pride.'
Size matters: The world's tallest man, Bao Xishun, who stands 7.9 feet, shakes hands with He Ping Ping - who died last year - the smallest man in the world at 28.8 inches prior to Mr Magar
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