A mum who holds the record for the world's longest fingernails says she can no longer drive and struggles with zippers. Diana Armstrong stopped trimming her nails back 1997 following the tragic death of her 16-year-old daughter Latisha, who passed away after suffering an asthma attack in her sleep.
Since then, Diana's nails have grown to a mind boggling 1,306.58cm (42ft 10.4in), and she currently holds the Guinness World Record for the longest nails on a female hand. However, their extreme length can make daily tasks a bit more difficult - including going to the bathroom.
Diana, from Minnesota in US, said: “Zipping up my pants or jacket. I can pop open a can of soda but I need a knife. I drove a car but had to stick my hand out the window, so I don’t drive any more.
“And in public restrooms, I need to use the biggest stall – my nails are usually longer than the regular-sized stalls.”
But as for maintaining them, she added: “I haven’t been to a nail salon for about 22 years – they don’t want to deal with them – so my grandchildren take care of them. Each nail takes about 10 hours to file and polish. To file them, I need to use a Dremel woodwork tool.
“I get them done every four to five years, and get through between 15 and 20 bottles of polish. I painted them last week and it took four days.
“If I have to pick up money off the floor, I can pick up bills. But if I drop change on the floor, that will just stay down there.”
But the story behind her fingernails leads back to a gut-wrenching time in Diana’s life. She was out grocery shopping when her youngest daughter called her to frantically explain that Latisha would not wake up.
Looking back, Diana said: “That was the worst day of my life. The day before, she’d spent time polishing and filling my nails, so after that, I just couldn’t cut my nails off.
“And I didn’t tell anyone why. Even my kids never knew why, because I kept it to myself for years.”
The mum added: “My nails are a part of me, so I can’t ever imagine cutting them off.”
Latisha used to manicure her mum’s then average sized nails every weekend before she passed away. And Diana’s other daughter, Rania, explained how her and her siblings were initially embarrassed when their mum’s nails began growing out of control.
They pleaded with her to cut them but they understood the poignant reasoning once they were told about it. Rania said: “When she told us the back story, it kind of changed my feelings towards it.
"Because just as much as she missed my sister, I missed her too. So, if that’s her way of holding on to her, then I accept."
And when Diana was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records earlier this year her emotion was evident because she initially thought it was a joke. Afterwards, she said: "I think she [Latisha] would be proud of me because she’s the last one who did my nails," she said.
"That’s who I think of when I grow my nails, is my daughter."
The previous record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever was held by America’s Lee Redmond in 2008. Diana also currently holds the longest fingernails on a pair of female hands.
Speaking about the inspirational mum, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said: "The story behind her record is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking, and Diana's determination to honour her daughter's legacy in her unique way is inspiring.
"Family means everything for Diana, and she's lucky to have gathered around her a wonderful support network... which is what you need when each of your fingernails is longer than a ski pole."
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