Supermodel Bella Hadid recently gave her followers an honest look into her ongoing health challenges. The 28-year-old shared a series of personal photos from a hospital bed on Instagram this past Wednesday, September 17. She was seen connected to IV drips in the pictures.
"Sorry I always disappear, I love you guys," Bella wrote in her heartfelt post. The model has openly battled Lyme disease since she was 16, a diagnosis she received in 2012. While she didn’t say why she was in the hospital this time, her family quickly showed their support. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, left a simple but powerful comment: "❤️Lyme Warrior." Bella’s sister, Gigi Hadid, also cheered her on, writing, "Love you! Hope you feel as strong and good as you deserve, soon!"
Beyond the hospital setting, Bella’s update included snapshots of a peaceful countryside view, a stunning double rainbow, and even a pizza she enjoyed in her room. These glimpses suggest she finds small moments of comfort and beauty even during tough times.
This isn’t the first time Bella has pulled back the curtain on her health journey. In 2023, she posted another photo on Instagram, also showing her receiving IV treatments. Back then, she offered words of encouragement to others facing similar battles. "The universe works in the most painful and beautiful ways, but I must say if you are struggling, it will get better, I promise," she wrote. "Step aside, stay strong, have faith in your path, walk in your truth, and the clouds will start to clear." She continued, "Almost 15 years of invisible suffering, it was all worth it if, God willing, I can have a lifetime of sharing love from a full cup and truly being myself for the first time in my life. … I’ll be back when I’m ready. I miss you all so much. I love you all very much."
Her ongoing health issues explain why Bella missed New York Fashion Week this past September. She has often spoken about how the illness leaves her utterly exhausted.
In a 2016 interview with Us Weekly, Bella described her daily struggles. "Normally I wake up with some kind of bone pain, then I have to go back to sleep," she shared. "I go back to sleep, and I sleep until 12 p.m., but that’s after I’ve already slept 14 hours and I’m still tired." She even recalled times she shook while on red carpets. "I mean, many times I call my mom and say, ‘I don’t want to go to work today. Please don’t make me go.’ And she says, ‘You know what? Today you have to do it. You already committed.’ In the end I go, but I take a nap during lunch."
Two years ago, after finishing a 100-day treatment program, Bella looked back on her fight. She shared her feelings in an emotional social media post. "The little me who suffered would be so proud of my adult self for not giving up," she wrote. "Grateful to my mom for keeping all my medical records, being by my side, never leaving me alone, protecting me, supporting me, but most of all, believing me throughout this whole process."
