Unfortunately, many people know what it feels like to be bullied.
Most kids get picked on at some point in time, but for some, it goes on well past elementary school.
Well into her teen years, Ann Ward was mocked by her peers for being so tall and skinny — and it started to impact her confidence.
By the time she was in high school, Ann was over six feet tall and had an extremely slim figure.
Although her whole family was tall and thin, Ann felt like bullies unfairly picked on her for things she couldn't control.
When she was 19, though, Ann decided to do something dramatic: she auditioned for Tyra Banks' show, America's Next Top Model.
And she made it.
Finally, Ann had found an industry where she was praised for her unusual looks. Even though she was taller than all the other Top Model competitors, it was only by a few inches, not a full foot.
[H/T: ANTM411]
Although Ann is extremely tall for a woman at 6'2, she's actually the shortest person in her family.
While on Top Model, Ann mentioned that her dad is 6'6, her mom is 6'3, and her brother is 6'7.
Her family isn't just tall; they are also naturally very slim.
The reason they're all so skinny? They share a genetic quirk, extremely fast metabolisms, which mean they can eat practically anything and not gain weight.
Although Ann's height and slim build ended up being her greatest asset for her modeling career, it was once the bane of her existence.
Ann was very shy in high school, since so many people were mean to her about her appearance.
In addition, Ann was a self-proclaimed nerd, and she dressed and acted accordingly.
Because of her height, Ann had tried to become a model before, but agencies had rejected her because they said she was too tall.
For most agencies, six feet tall is usually the cutoff, so Ann felt discouraged by the time she auditioned for Top Model.
Nevertheless, Tyra and the other judges saw Ann's potential. They gave her a spot on the show, and were immediately blown away by her modeling skills.
Although Ann came off as somewhat awkward in person, the camera loved her.
During the show, Ann broke a Top Model record, winning five photo shoots in a row.
All the judges loved Ann's look in pictures — she was something different, which they love in the high fashion modeling world.
She noted, "All those comments about being tall and just not normal. They're going to look back and feel 'I should have been so nice to that girl.'"
In one photo shoot, the models had to discuss their insecurities, painting a word on their bodies that hurt them.
Ann chose "giant" and "Amazon."
Despite struggling with self-confidence, even during filming, Ann grew as a model throughout the process.
And although she was still reserved and shy at the end of the show, she managed to snag the title and win Cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model.
Before long, she was appearing in runway shows and in the pages of Italian Vogue.
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