World Record Holder For Longest Fingernails Ends Inspirational 30-Year Commitment

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First Michael Strahan’s tooth gap. Now Ayanna Williams’ fingernails. Next the stripes from our flag.

Guinness World Record holder Ayanna Williams abandoned a 30-year mission this week as she shed her iconic talons with one rev of a double-barrel chain saw.

Ayanna grew her nails to a mind-bending 19 combined feet of hardened protein in 2017, securing her a place in world history and storied Ripley’s Believe It or Not! lore. In her three decade commitment, Williams never once cut more than one inch of her nails, and before throwing away a lifetime of hard work this week, her nails clocked in at 24 ft and 0.7 inches.

“With or without my nails, I will still be the queen,” Williams told Guinness after the procedure to cut her nails was done, via Complex. “My nails don’t make me, I make my nails!”

So we’re not just the sum total of the costumes we put on? Then why’d I’d buy this fucking demin jacket?

This woman committed 30 years of her life to never being able to wipe her butt and I can’t even commit to a Netflix show. I can’t meet up with my friends in a new shirt without having a buyer’s remorse-induced panic attack beforehand, agonizing over every potential biting barb or snarky comment about the unique pattern. This woman willingly walked out of her house every morning with jump ropes hanging off her hands and welcomed the glare, and then had the courage to shed that entire identity in an instant.

“Do what you want to do! Let everyone be themselves,” Williams told Ripley’s. “If you want to grow your nails long, do it!” 

Williams now plans to grow her nails out no longer than six inches, according to CNN, thus vanquishing the title of World Record Holder to claim A Woman Who Has Really, Really Long Nails.

Do you have the courage to give up the belt like that?