There’s something about seeing something out of the ordinary, be it a strange animal, an accident or even an argument between strangers. Humans are naturally curious beings and seeing a random argument between your neighbor and her teenage son will have some people outside taking their goldfish for a walk just to gawk.
So it’s not surprising that thousands of viewers tuned in when Ayanna Williams, the Guinness World Record holder for the world’s longest nails went to have them all cut off. Williams had her record breaking nails for 29 years but decided it was finally time to bid them adieu and the entire thing was filmed. It’s a monumental moment for the record holder after having lived with the 24 foot nails for decades.
Most of us would simply need to grab a pair of fingernail clippers and get clipping, but for Williams the process was a bit more complicated.
The record holder couldn’t just head to her nearest nail salon for a fresh manicure. She had to have her nails trimmed by Dr. Allison Readinger at Trinity Vista Dermatology, where the dermatologist used a special hand held circular saw. Williams disclosed the two foot nails were causing her joint pain and one of her thumbs was extremely tender so she was relieved to lose the weight of the nails. The nails are now on display at Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum in Orlando, Florida.
Viewers couldn’t look away from this re-shared video of Williams said goodbye to her long nails. Some comments were supportive while others…not so much.
“I’m so happy she was able to finally make this decision! I love it,” one person writes.
“Wooww! It’s a incredible it’s been a 29 yrs,” another says.
“Oh gosh so satisfying. Can’t even have mine passed my finger tips. Ouf,” someone exclaims.
According to Guinness World Records, Williams went through over two bottles of nail polish and gave up 20 hours of her time with ever nail polish change. If nothing else, cutting her nails will be a money saver and whether you support her nail growth or not, there’s something satisfying about watching them be cut off.
Watch the captivating video below:
This article originally appeared on 10.5.23