Gigi Hadid thinks the poor health of her close family has made her "very independent".
The 23-year-old model claims to have become more resilient because of her sister Bella, mother Yolanda and brother Anwar’s struggles with Lyme disease, the energy-sapping infection that can be spread by infected ticks.
She explained: "Growing up, having three of my family members sick made me very independent. My mom couldn’t drive or get out of bed some days, so I took my brother to school with me, or I made lunch."
On the other hand, Gigi also admitted to experiencing feelings of "guilt" because of the health struggles of her close family.
The catwalk star told Elle magazine: "I also felt a lot of guilt for being the one person in the family who didn’t understand what they were going through.
"It’s hard when your whole family is in pain and you don’t know what to do."
Similarly, Gigi previously admitted she couldn’t really relate to the struggles of her mother, sister and brother.
The blonde beauty said she wanted to provide "hope" for her family, even though she cannot empathise with their day-to-day fears.
Gigi – who, like her sister Bella, is one of the world’s best-known models – explained: "I’m the only one in, of my siblings, my mom and my family that hasn’t been affected by Lyme disease.
"It’s been really hard for me because I’m the only one that doesn’t really understand it.
"What’s been hardest for me is just trying to find a way to be their hope and kind of be a strength for them even with the disease that I can’t understand fully because I haven’t been through it."
Gigi Hadid: I’m very independent
