Miranda Weber has always had high expectations placed on her.

At 2.08 m, the 18-year-old from Regina is the tallest in a very large family. Her grandfather and mother were both 2.03 m tall. Her uncle is 2.08 m tall.

Miranda’s mother Kathy says she always knew her daughter was destined for greatness.

“She was never destined to be a point guard or a setter, she was destined to be someone with stature,” she said.

A doctor had once predicted Weber’s maximum height to be 1.75 m, but the prognosis was later revised to 1.95 m.

“Here I am,” Miranda said, laughing.

Early expectations

In elementary school, Miranda was 15 to 20 centimeters taller than her classmates.

“In third grade, I was the size of a seventh grader,” she said.

This additional prestige also brought with it higher expectations from adults.

“She was playing on the playground and someone came over and said she was too big for it. People expected her to act older than she was,” Kathy said.

Miranda became accustomed to the telltale tingling in her legs, a sign that she was about to enter another growth spurt.

“I would be very clumsy and would lose my balance. Imagine if I were standing on stilts,” Miranda said.

She used her size to her advantage in volleyball, playing with the Saskatchewan Renegades volleyball team. She is now studying kinesiology at the University of Regina and hopes to one day become a sports psychologist.

She admits that the world is not made for tall people, but says that positive thinking plays a big role in her philosophy of life.

“I’ve hit my head on doors or lights more times than I can count,” Miranda said. “I have trouble fitting into my friends’ cars, and it’s almost impossible to find pants or jackets that fit.”

She and her mother turned to a seamstress to make custom clothes, including her prom dress.

Following in her mother’s big footsteps

Kathy smiles as she listens to her daughter talk about wearing cowgirl boots to her graduation. To Kathy, it’s a sign of confidence, something she’s worked hard to achieve.

“Fortunately, I have accepted being a big woman. I am really proud of who I have become and I can show that to my daughter,” Kathy said.

This confidence is reflected in the advice Miranda gives to other young women.

“Believe in yourself, know your talents, know who you are and be kind to your body because it is the only one you will have.”