Yolanda Hadid "nearly had a heart attack" when she found out her daughter Gigi had been grabbed by a man in Milan.
The 52-year-old reality TV star was stricken with panic when the beautiful blonde model – her child with her ex-husband Mohammed Hadid – rung her to tell her a mystery man had tried to pick her up as she left Milan Fashion Week in September.
Speaking on Australia’s ‘Kyle & Jackie O Show’ on Wednesday (09.11.16), she explained: "I nearly had a heart attack when she called me, which was right after [the incident in Milan]."
The 21-year-old star came under fire when she was caught on camera elbowing the man after he wrapped his arms around her but, despite the backlash, her mother has praised her actions.
She said: "I think her reaction was perfect. That’s girl power. They know you don’t let anyone touch you or do that, it’s wrong."
Gigi isn’t the only member of the family to have a high-profile career as her 20-year-old sister Bella is also a catwalk model and, although Yolanda is proud of them, the ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star is wary of what they put on social media.
She explained: "We try to have a strict rule of, don’t post where you are or post after you have left a place.
"But with paparazzi out there, it is almost impossible not to be seen at a location in the moment."
Shortly after the incident in Milan, Gigi – who is dating Zayn Malik – took to her social networking sites to defend her actions.
She said at the time: "Honestly, I felt I was in danger, and I had every right to react the way I did.
"If anything, I want girls to see the video and know that they have the right to fight back, too, if put in a similar situation.
"Practicing self-defence is important so that when you’re in the moment, reacting from muscle memory comes more naturally to you than freezing up. Confidence in your own ability to defend yourself comes with educating yourself about it, and is a massive advantage when in an unsafe situation."
Yolanda Hadid nearly had ‘heart attack’ when Gigi was grabbed
