Yolanda Hadid shared an emotional message of support to her youngest daughter, Bella Hadid, following the model's recent hospitalization. Bella was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013, as were her mother and her brother, Anwar. Per the Mayo Clinic, Lyme disease is caused by borrelia bacteria, which is transferred to humans through black-legged tick bites. It manifests with painful symptoms like rashes, stiffness, muscle weakness, irregular heartbeats, swelling, facial paralysis, and, in some cases, vision loss. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum took to Instagram to praise Bella's strength amid her health battle.
"As you will understand, watching my Bella struggle in silence has cut the deepest core of hopelessness inside me," she wrote, alongside several photos of Bella in a hospital bed surrounded by medical machines. "The invisible disability of chronic neurological Lyme disease is hard to explain or understand for anyone. I try to lead by example on our Lyme journey, but my own pain cannot compare to watching my baby suffer."
She then addressed her daughter directly in the caption. "You are relentless and courageous. No child is supposed to suffer in their body with an incurable chronic disease. I admire your bravery and your willingness to keep fighting for health despite the failing protocols and countless setbacks you have faced."
"There simply aren't words big enough for the darkness, the pain, and the unknown hell you've lived through since your diagnosis in 2013. You didn't really live, you learned how to exist inside the jail of your own paralyzed brain." Yolanda went on to share how proud she was of Bella for continuing to fight the chronic disease.
"We will continue to fight for better days, together. You are a survivor…I love you so much, my badass Warrior." The mother of three's friends rushed to the comment section to share their support for Bella, with Real Housewives star Kyle Richards writing, "Ugh I'm so sorry. Feel better soon @bellahadid."
Supermodel Naomi Campbell added, "Sending love & healing to you both," while Linda Evangelista commented, "Sending you both love." Yolanda's post comes a day after Bella shared insight into her health battle with photos of herself receiving blood transfusions and IV drips. "I'm sorry I always go MIA I love you guys," she wrote in the caption.
Her model sister, Gigi Hadid, shared her support by commenting, "I love you! I hope [you] feel as strong and good as u deserve, soon!!!!!!" The 28-year-old was just 16 when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease, yet began experiencing symptoms two years earlier. Bella was forced to give up her equestrian career due to her illness, as the symptoms made it too difficult.
Her mother previously explained to People what living with the disease was really like, revealing that many of the symptoms were invisible. "There are rough days when you sleep 12 hours, you wake up at 11, and you can't get out of bed, with severe joint pain, brain fog, anxiety," Yolanda said. "There are a lot of symptoms that you can't see from the outside but bring you to your knees on the inside."