Ilona Maher Remembers the Women Who Wanted Her Protection at the Nail Salon
It’s Maher.
Frederick J. Brown / AFPIt’s Maher she is always ready to step in to help another woman in a potentially dangerous situation.
“I went to get a pedicure and I went there for about an hour [or] an hour and a half before they closed so I was one of the last customers to be there,” said the Olympian, 28, in an Instagram video shared on Sunday, October 27. “As I was there, the staff was leaving. [and] all the customers were gone. It was just me and two women. “
Maher added that in the middle of receiving treatment, a man entered the salon asking for a pedicure.
“So they sat him down and you know we’re both being corrected,” he recalled. “And mine is done but I got a regular nail polish, I didn’t get the gel this time which means it will take time to dry.”
Mike Coppola/Getty Images Olympian Ilona Maher has made a splash with her rugby talent and her hot streak on the Internet. Maher, 27, started playing rugby in high school before making a name for himself as a collegiate athlete. He eventually caught the attention of coaches Richie Walker and Emilie Bydwell, who chose him to join […]
As Maher’s nails dried, the staff put on her sandals but advised her to wait a little longer. The staff were still tending to the man and were not ready to send Maher.
“I’m waiting there, no joke, maybe half an hour more [to] In 25 minutes everything is over,” he said. “Then they finished with him, [and] he is leaving. And then it’s like, ‘Okay, we’re going to close it now.'”
When Maher was ready to leave, the staff apologized for keeping him longer than they had originally expected and explained their reasons.
“Then they said, ‘I’m sorry to keep you so long. We just wanted you to be here with us while he was there.’ And it was like I totally understood why they did that,” he said. “It’s a crazy world out there.”
After his exchange with the ladies of the salon, Maher was suddenly greeted by a man as he left the business.
“As I was leaving, this boy looked me in the eye and said ‘Can I go home with you?’ And I said, ‘No.’ he said: Why? I just keep walking,” he said. “It’s crazy out there.”
Maher shared that after that experience, she is more than happy to sit by anyone’s side whenever they feel uncomfortable or unsafe – and time is not an issue.
“I want you to know that you can keep me as long as you like. You can keep me for another hour,” he added. “I will cancel my plans if you want me to be safe or if you just want someone [to] be there.”
Following that encounter, Maher joked that he was rewarding himself with something special.
“Since I did my precautions tonight I bought myself some mozzarella sticks. This is my mobile oven and I’m drinking a glass of wine,” she said. “Stay safe ladies, go together. Do your thing.”
Maher became a household name after winning a rugby bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He is currently competing Dancing with the Stars.
