A 3ft 8in woman with dwarfism has opened up about being mistaken for her 5ft 8in boyfriend’s daughter but insists she doesn’t ”care what others say”.
Caitlin Hellyer, 23, has achondroplasia dwarfism – a bone growth disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the arms and legs.
Caitlin Hellyer, 23, with her partner Guy Pritchard, 33[/caption]
Caitlin says they’re a ‘dream team’ together[/caption]
She says heads turn when she goes out with 5ft 8in boyfriend Guy Pritchard, 33.
Caitlin, from Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, says the couple get stared at and laughed at – and people even question if their love is genuine.
But Caitlin said their two-and-a-half year relationship is just like any other – and they even make jokes about their own differences.
Caitlin, a glamour model, said: “When we met, we hit it off right away and it’s been like that ever since.
“We do get stared at and people do take photos of us – I’ve been mistaken for a child before.
“Sometimes people think I’m his younger sibling – I don’t know how, I’m a 23 year old woman with boobs!
“I hear people sniggering, and we get horrible comments online – people don’t understand it but we don’t care what others say.
“Guy is a man of his word and he’s so genuine – I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I feel safe and protected.
“There can be genuine relationships with height or ability differences – being shallow only restricts you from finding true love.”
Guy, a marine engineer, said: “I am a strong person and I’m very open about my love towards Caitlin and who she is.
“We love each other and we don’t need to follow a set path to prove that to anyone.”
The couple met in May 2022 after speaking online for weeks.
They ended up “staying up until 3am just chatting” and they hit it off.
They moved in together just two months later.
She said: “I pass him things on the low shelves of the pantry, and he gets things out of the high cupboards.
“He has to lift me up because his Land Rover is too high for me to get into – we joke about it all the time.
“When we got our dog we picked a miniature Dachshund – we joked about how it’s the only one we could get for me!
“I might be smaller but it doesn’t stop me stealing his T-shirts – they’re bigger so they’re more snuggly.
Celebrity couples with height differences
- Zendaya (5’10”) and Tom Holland (5’8″)
- Cameron Diaz (5’9″) and Benji Madden (5’6″)
- Eniko Parrish (5’7″) and Kevin Hart (5’4″)
- Gwendoline Christie (6’3″) and Giles Deacon (6′)
- Tina Fey (5’5″) and Jeff Richmond (5’2″)
- Nicole Kidman (5’11”) and Keith Urban (5’10”)
- Helen Lasichanh (5’11”) and Pharrell Williams (5’9″)
- Erin Darke (5’7″) and Daniel Radcliffe (5’5″)
“We make a great team – we’re no different to anyone else really.”
She is often mistaken for his daughter, or a younger sister – or people do a double take.
She said: “If I’ve been out with Guy’s family, when we go to get seated in a restaurant, the waiter initially says ‘table for three adults and a child’ before looking at me and correcting to ‘four adults’.”
Guy added: “I’ll always walk tall and be ready to stand up for her when it’s required.
“With regards to people thinking she’s my daughter, it’s quite funny sometimes.
“My friends have children about the same height as Caitlin and you can see they don’t quite understand – they try to play with her.”
Caitlin said people initially questioned their relationship – or put it down to a “fetish” of some sort.
But in reality, Caitlin said the love is “genuine” – and it’s about “finding your person”.
She said: “It’s about finding the one who is right for you – regardless of height, looks, job, location, and family’s opinions.
“There can be genuine relationships out there with a height difference or different abilities
