Yolanda Hadid

Yolanda Hadid
Born	Yolanda van den Herik 1/11/1964
Birthplace	Papendrecht, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch, American
Occupation	Television personality, former model, author
Known for	The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lyme disease advocacy
Spouse(s)	Mohamed Hadid (m. 1994; div. 2000), David Foster (m. 2011; div. 2017)
Children	3
Website	https://www.yolanda.com/

Yolanda Hadid, born Yolanda van den Herik on 11 January 1964 in Papendrecht, Netherlands, is a Dutch-American television personality, former model, and author. She rose to international prominence as a cast member on Bravo's reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she appeared from the show's third season through its sixth season. Beyond reality television, Hadid has become one of the most visible advocates for Lyme disease awareness, drawing from her own prolonged battle with the illness that she has spoken about publicly since 2012. She is the mother of three children, including internationally recognized IMG models Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, as well as her son Anwar Hadid. Over the course of her career, Hadid has transitioned from the fashion runways of Europe to American television screens, and more recently to farming and rural life in Pennsylvania. Her personal website and social media platforms have served as channels for sharing her perspectives on health, motherhood, and holistic living.

Early Life

Yolanda van den Herik was born on 11 January 1964 in Papendrecht, a town in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. She grew up in the Netherlands and has spoken publicly about her Dutch heritage. Her daughter Gigi Hadid has also expressed pride in her Dutch roots on multiple occasions.

Details about Hadid's childhood and family background in the Netherlands prior to her modeling career remain limited in publicly available sources. What is documented is that she was discovered as a model at a young age in the Netherlands, which set the course for her career in the fashion industry and eventually led her to relocate internationally.

Career

Modeling

Hadid began her career as a model in the Netherlands before expanding her work internationally. During the 1980s and 1990s, she worked in the fashion industry in Europe and eventually relocated to the United States, where she continued her modeling career. Her early professional website described her background in the fashion world and her transition from modeling to other pursuits. While her modeling career established her initial public profile, it was her later television work and personal life that brought her sustained fame.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Hadid joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Bravo, becoming one of the show's prominent cast members. During her tenure on the series, she was known as Yolanda Foster, reflecting her marriage to musician David Foster at the time. She appeared on the program from its third season, which premiered in 2012, through the sixth season.

On the show, Hadid was noted for her candid discussions about her personal health struggles, particularly her diagnosis of Lyme disease, which became a significant storyline across multiple seasons. Her appearances on the series also showcased her relationships with her three children and her life in Beverly Hills. The show brought Hadid considerable media attention and established her as a recognizable figure in American popular culture beyond the fashion world.

During her time on the series, Hadid documented her health struggles openly, including surgical procedures and various treatments related to Lyme disease. Her willingness to share these experiences on national television helped raise awareness of the condition among a broad audience.

Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid

Following her departure from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Hadid starred in and executive produced the Lifetime reality competition series Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid. The series, which premiered on 11 January 2018—Hadid's birthday—followed aspiring young models and their mothers as they navigated the competitive fashion industry under Hadid's mentorship. The show drew on Hadid's decades of experience in the modeling world as well as her role as a mother to two of the world's most recognized models.

The series represented Hadid's continued involvement in television and her efforts to leverage her professional background and personal experiences in new media ventures. It also underscored her ongoing connection to the fashion industry, this time from a mentoring and producing perspective rather than as a working model.

Lyme Disease Advocacy

One of the most significant aspects of Hadid's public life has been her advocacy for Lyme disease awareness. She was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 and has spoken extensively about her experience with the illness, including the debilitating symptoms and the extensive treatments she underwent over a period of several years.

In 2013, Hadid underwent surgery related to her Lyme disease, which she discussed publicly. Her recovery and ongoing treatment became a central part of her narrative on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and in interviews with major media outlets.

Hadid's advocacy extended beyond her own experience. Her daughter Bella Hadid and son Anwar Hadid were also diagnosed with Lyme disease. In September 2025, Hadid wrote publicly about what she described as the "unknown hell" of Bella's battle with Lyme disease, highlighting the ongoing nature of the condition and the challenges it presents for patients and their families.

Through her public platform, Hadid has consistently drawn attention to the difficulties of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, and she has used her celebrity status to amplify awareness of the condition. Her personal blog and social media accounts have served as platforms for sharing information about Lyme disease and her own treatment journey.

Pennsylvania Farm and Real Estate

In more recent years, Hadid has been associated with a large property in Pennsylvania that she has referred to as a "sanctuary." The farm, located in the New Hope area of Bucks County, was listed for sale at approximately $10.88 million in 2025. The property has been the subject of considerable media attention, including multiple reports about its listing and subsequent removal from the market.

The farm was initially listed for sale and reportedly went under offer before being put back on the market in November 2025. By January 2026, Hadid had withdrawn the property from the market, just three months after listing it.

Separately, in October 2025, Page Six reported that Hadid had purchased a newly renovated home for approximately $4 million, with plans to renovate it extensively.

The Pennsylvania property had been a significant part of Hadid's post-Beverly Hills life, reflecting her transition from the glamour of Los Angeles to a more rural, farm-oriented lifestyle. The property was associated with her family life and was connected to her daughters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, who were also linked to the farm in media coverage.

Personal Life

Marriages

Hadid has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Palestinian-American real estate developer Mohamed Hadid in 1994. The couple had three children together: Gigi Hadid (born 1995), Bella Hadid (born 1996), and Anwar Hadid (born 1999). Yolanda and Mohamed Hadid divorced in 2000.

Her second marriage was to Canadian musician and music producer David Foster. The couple married on 11 November 2011 in Las Vegas. During her marriage to Foster, Hadid was known publicly as Yolanda Foster. The couple announced their separation in 2015 and subsequently divorced. After the divorce was finalized, Hadid reverted to using the surname Hadid, explaining her decision in an interview with People magazine.

Relationship with Joseph Jingoli

Following her divorce from David Foster, Hadid entered a relationship with Joseph Jingoli, a businessman. People magazine reported on the relationship, with Hadid describing Jingoli as a source of happiness in her life. In July 2025, Bravo reported that Hadid reflected on where she stood with her exes, including Jingoli, Mohamed Hadid, and David Foster.

Children

Hadid's three children have all pursued careers in the public eye. Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid became internationally recognized supermodels represented by IMG Models, while Anwar Hadid has also worked as a model. In 2021, an alleged dispute between Hadid and Zayn Malik, the former partner of Gigi Hadid and father of Gigi's daughter Khai, was reported by multiple media outlets. Malik publicly responded to the allegations regarding the incident.

As of 2026, media reports indicated that Gigi Hadid was in a relationship with Bradley Cooper, with Star Magazine reporting on the dynamics between the couple's mothers.

American Citizenship

Hadid, who was born in the Netherlands, became a United States citizen. Bravo documented her journey to American citizenship, which she celebrated publicly.

Health

Hadid's health has been a defining feature of her public narrative. Her Lyme disease diagnosis in 2012 led to years of treatment and multiple medical procedures. She has been open about the impact the illness had on her daily life, her career, and her family. Both Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid were also diagnosed with Lyme disease, making it a condition that affected three members of the family.

Recent Life

In December 2025, Hadid reflected publicly on her life and motherhood, posting about the changes she had experienced and stating that "beauty lives in every chapter."

Recognition

Hadid's public profile has been shaped primarily by her appearances on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and her subsequent advocacy work. Her role on the Bravo series made her a fixture in the reality television landscape during the early to mid-2010s, and she remained a subject of media coverage well after her departure from the show.

Her Lyme disease advocacy has brought her recognition within the chronic illness community. By speaking openly about her diagnosis and treatment on a major television platform, Hadid brought attention to a condition that patients and advocates have argued does not receive sufficient public awareness. The fact that three members of her family—Hadid herself, Bella Hadid, and Anwar Hadid—were all diagnosed with the disease further amplified the family's connection to Lyme disease awareness efforts.

Hadid's influence has also been noted in the context of her children's careers. As the mother of two of the most recognized models in the fashion industry, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, she has been a recurring figure in fashion media and discussions about the intersection of celebrity families and the modeling industry. Her Lifetime series Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid directly addressed this dynamic, positioning her as a mentor figure drawing on both her own modeling experience and her experience raising children who became top models.

Her real estate activities, particularly relating to her Pennsylvania farm property, have also been widely covered in celebrity and real estate media, reflecting her continued presence in the public eye.