Guinness World Records is saddened to learn that Mehmet Özyürek, the proud owner of the world’s longest nose, has died at the age of 75.
Mehmet, from Türkiye, was well known and loved for his zest for life, and often spoke of how he was “blessed” to have a record-breaking nose.
He was awarded the title of longest nose on a living person (male) three times: first in 2001 on Guinness World Records: Primetime in Los Angeles, again in 2010 on the set of Lo Show dei Record in Italy and one last time in 2021.
Each time, it measured 8.8 cm (3.46 in) from the bridge to the tip, which is the length of a playing card.Advertisements
Mehmet’s loved ones said an emotional goodbye to him as they laid him to rest in his hometown of Artvin.
The record breaker fell ill and suffered a heart attack before he was due to undergo surgery last week.
Doctors intervened but tragically, were unable to save him.
Mynet reports his son Barış said: “I sincerely thank the people of Artvin and their fans. We have pain. My father was very kind-hearted, he tried not to offend anyone. My father was not only at peace with his nose, he was at peace with his life.”
Mehmet was always incredibly proud of his nose and its sniffing abilities.
He told us in 2021: “My sense of smell is different from other people.
“I say ‘there is a smell here’. Other people say ‘we don’t smell that smell’. I say, ‘you may not smell it but I can’.
“For example, I enter my house… I can immediately tell which dish is cooked.”
Mehmet said that his distinctive large nose was a family trait, but the cause of it was never known.Advertisements
“I have such a special feature,” Mehmet said.
“I love it, this feature. The world likes it, Guinness World Records likes it, of course, my wife likes it too!
“It’s a genetic condition as far as I understand. There was no explanation by doctors, but I have it in my family, so my father has it, my uncles have it, I have it.”Advertisements
The trait did not continue down the family tree past Mehmet though.
He’s always had love for his unique feature, even though he was cruelly taunted about it in his younger years.
“My friends used to call me Big Nose to upset me,” he said.
“But I look a look at myself. That’s when I looked in the mirror – I discovered myself.
“God made me like this, there is nothing that can be done in this situation. I learned to live in peace with my physique.”
He told us that his arrival into any room would draw immediate attention, but that it didn’t bother him one bit.
“I love my nose of course… I have been blessed,” Mehmet proudly said.
“I am extremely pleased to represent Türkiye, the Black Sea or Artvin on an international scale.
“Some become martyrs, some become Prime Ministers and some become record holders.”