World's Smallest Woman, Man, Married Couple And Mom: The Big Dreams Of Little People (PHOTOS)

It's big news when Guinness World Records declares someone is the world's smallest -- no matter if it's the smallest woman, smallest man or smallest mom.

But while being the shortest person in a category is a big deal for record-keepers, size isn't the only thing that matters to the record-setters.

For instance, Jhoti Amge, 18, of Nagpur, India, who, at 24.7 inches, was recently named world's smallest woman, but her main focus in life is pursuing a love of fashion by customizing her own clothes and jewelry, and working towards her goal of being an actress in Bollywood films.

Check out this gallery to see other little people with big dreams, as well as our collection of videos.

• World's Smallest Woman: Jyoti Amge

  Jyoti Amge, 18, of Nagpur, India, who is 24.7 inches tall, has just been declared the world's smallest living woman. Amge is a budding fashionista who customizes her own clothes and jewelry. She is also pursuing a career as an actress in Bollywood films.

• World's Smallest Siblings: Brad And Bridgette Jordan

  Bridgette Jordan, 22, of Sandoval, Ill., who is 2 feet 3 inches tall, and her brother Brad, 20, who is 3 feet 2.5 inches tall, are the world's shortest siblings. Bridgette loves dancing and cheerleading while Brad enjoys gymnastics and doing magic tricks.

• World's Smallest Mom: Stacey Herald

  Stacey Herald of Dry Ridge, Ky., is only 28.5 inches tall, but that hasn't stopped her from giving birth to three kids in the last five years. Or from running a business called "Katari's Corner," named after her oldest daughter, that sells used baby items.

• World's Smallest Living Man: Junrey Balawing

  The shortest living man, the Philippines' Junrey Balawing, 18, who measures 23.5 inches tall, has limited mobility preventing him from following in his dad's bigger footsteps and becoming a blacksmith. But he is developing into quite the foodie with an appreciation for chocolate and beer -- but only in small quantities.

• World's Smallest Married Couple: Douglas Maistre Breger da Silva and Claudia Pereira Rocha

  Douglas Maistre Breger da Silva, 42, and Claudia Pereira Rocha, 39, of Curitiba, Brazil, are the shortest married couple in the world. He measures 35 inches tall and she is an inch taller. Thirteen years of happy marriage is an even more impressive feat for anyone, tall or short.

• World's Smallest Firefighter

  Vince Brasco poses for a picture at a firefighter training station on Dec. 14, 2011 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Firemen are typically big with lots of braun but dwarf Vince Brasco is showing them it's not the size that counts. Determined Vince, 19, from Pittsburgh, USA, has been a volunteer fireman in his local area for four years and mans the hose at neighborhood blazes with the rest of his crew. Despite being only 4ft 2in, tough Vince, who works part time in an electronics store and is studying to become a nurse, can bench press over three times his own 6-stone 3lb weight, lifting a whopping 265 lbs. at his local gym. His strength - and his determination to never let his height stop him from doing anything - means he is powerful enough to wield the fire hose and go on rescue jobs.

Comments

[kk8292]

10:31 PM on 12/30/2011

She is beautiful with a winning smile. Best of health and happiness for the new year and years to come.

[BELIEVER007]

09:58 PM on 12/28/2011

GOD BLESS HER ,,,, MAY SHE LIVE HAPPY

[The road less traveled]

09:35 PM on 12/27/2011

If the smallest people in the world were setting records for drinking the most alcohol or for lifting the most weight or for being the most beautiful, the whole world would be cheering them on. People that are of small stature already have the cards stacked against them because their tiny bodies have to work very hard to keep up with their age. While everyone else has bodies that grow and the cells reproduce as the bones and organs grow, these people don't have that same advantage, so their bodies just wear out quicker. How about if we stand up and cheer them on for their accomplishments! I say great job to them for not giving up and sitting on their fannies and letting us keep them in food and clothes, because they have would have a great excuse to do just that..they can't even drive, but they haven't let that keep them from going to school, work, and achieving goals. Thanks for reading..I'll get off my soap box now!

[wbthacker]

03:23 PM on 12/27/2011

Does the phrase, "little people with big dreams" used in the article strike anyone else as condescending? I understand "little people" is a preferred way to describe these folks, but the "big dreams" part sounds too cutesy to me. It sounds like the way we'd speak of precocious children or eager-to-please puppies. "Isn't that adorable! They think they're PEOPLE!"

I guess if the tag line was "See more people with dreams" nobody would read it, though. So maybe I'm over-reacting.

Either way, I can see how other little people (and the big ones, too) would be inspired by these stories and I'm glad they're being shared.

[tiptop3]

07:11 PM on 12/26/2011

Some of the vile comments afer this story reminds me that while those folks my be small of stature I'd prefer their company to the company of the small-minded.

[rabit818]

10:43 PM on 12/21/2011

I like one for X'mas Santa!

[florenzfan]

12:58 PM on 12/20/2011

Hell, my @#%^ is bigger than that!

[darkmark]

06:35 PM on 12/19/2011

i wish her well.

[Al Schrader]

05:34 AM on 12/19/2011

One time at the bank, they got that money cylinder stuck in the tube. They sent one of these people it to get it, but someone forgot to turn off the vacuum. Swoosh. Just kidding, please don't hate me for humor. I understand their predicament. You have to take what God gives you and be thankfull....Al-

[Al Schrader]

05:14 AM on 12/19/2011

They can tell big stories.

[Al Schrader]

05:14 AM on 12/19/2011

They are small.

[devildog0311usmc]

01:10 PM on 12/18/2011

i think huff post got me on auto comment pending approval.. is America becoming like Iran ? Russia ?? where people can't express their real opinions ?

[Nopooftas]

12:29 PM on 12/18/2011

Anytime we think we have it rough, just look around and realize it could be worse. Someone said onetime, "the trick to being happy in life is not having what you want, but wanting what you have".

[devildog0311usmc]

01:08 PM on 12/18/2011

i agree. being that small must suck. me personally ? i rather be dead than to be a little person.

[tiptop3]

07:13 PM on 12/26/2011

grow up-you really are a jar head, an empty jar at that-no class

[mellinsean]

07:17 AM on 12/18/2011

Well, didn't Nebuchadnezzar II take every thing and torch the place?

[joannevlavender]

07:29 PM on 12/17/2011

Society perceives these individuals as oddities.

We have a child on our campus who is what this article calls "a little person." She faces obstacles that must be surmounted on a minute-by-minute basis.

She has to accommodate herself to a normal classroom environment. She cannot reach anything on a shelf. She has difficulty sitting on the rug with the other children. She needs--and will continue to need--to use the kindergarten bathroom as the "normal" commodes in the stalls are too high for her to launch herself into. She needs frequent restroom breaks. The other children tower over her and we need to be watchful of that at all times. Her backpack is too large for her and the small ones for preschoolers don't hold enough--not to mention being babyish--for her to use.

It's all well and good to comment on how "adorable" they are...but they face life challenges that we don't even consider in our daily lives.