Big, Long Dreams

When someone talks about body modification, you think of tattoos, implants, and piercings. However, some people so desperately want to change their appearance that they’ll undergo extreme changes to achieve their desired look. This was the case of one Sydney Smith, also known as “Giraffe Woman.”

Sydney is a Los Angeles, California resident who took body modification a mile too far. She was determined to go against all odds and pay the price to lengthen her neck and look like her favorite animal, the giraffe. Though it appeared to be an obsession to many, she saw it as a dream, and she pursued it diligently.

A Long Time Coming

Sydney did not just love giraffes; she was passionate about them. So much so that she decided to take it to another level by stretching her neck to resemble that of a giraffe. Every dream has a strategy, and so did hers.

At 30, Sydney was already famous for her unique way of modifying her body. She committed to these drastic means for a whole five years, and to her, the 15 brass rings around her neck also added a touch of elegance to her beauty. So what happened to the lifelong commitment to pursuing her passion for giraffes’ long necks? Here’s the whole story.

Inspiration From a Distant World

Sydney’s dream of stretching her neck was not just a random thought. She had held on to her ambition since middle school. She was an adept reader and was taken in by the Kayan people living in the Southeast Asian hinterland. This, coupled with her love for giraffes, was enough motivation.

The information and photos of the Kayan people that Sydney got from National Geographic Magazine further fueled her ambitions to lengthen her neck. At first, it was just like any other reading, but with time, it made her even more attached to her dream, and there began an obsession that would change her life and her neck.