A Man with 28 Fingers and Toes: Embracing the Unusual

Devendra Suthar from India holds a Guinness World Record he didn't choose. In fact, if he had the option, he would likely forgo the 'honor' of having eight extra fingers adorning his hands and feet. This is due to a rare genetic anomaly called polydactyly, which occurs in about one out of every 500 births. When Suthar was born, his parents faced a difficult decision: whether to remove the extra fingers, as is sometimes done in such cases. However, when more than one finger is involved, removing them can endanger the newborn and potentially lead to further complications. 

14 in total. Feel free to count

This is likely the main reason his parents decided to leave his condition as it was. How has this affected Suthar's life? 'All my life, people have seen me as the 'odd bird'. Wherever I go, the first thing people notice about me is my condition. As a child, this really bothered me, and I suffered greatly because of it. But as an adult, I've learned to live with my uniqueness and turn it into an advantage: I pursued carpentry to prove to myself that I can create big and beautiful things, even if I'm not like everyone else.'

Today, Suthar is a successful carpenter, earning a respectable living from his craft, needing no charity from others. This, to him, is true success.