Aydan Nix opens up about what it’s been like to discover a new family connection and how her life has changed since finding out she’s the half-sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid.
In a deeply personal essay published by The cut On December 30, the 23-year-old reflected on her journey after learning that Mohamed Hadid is her biological father.
Aydan, whose mother is Terri Hatfield Dull, shared how she was welcomed by the Hadid family and how the experience reshaped her understanding of identity, belonging, and family.
“My sisters (along with the rest of the family) have been nothing but warm and generous,” she wrote.
“They’ve made space for me in ways they didn’t have to. They’ve been kind.”
Aydan revealed that after discovering her connection to the Hadids, she became deeply interested in learning more about her heritage.
She credited Gigi, Bella and her siblings, including Alana, Marielle and Anwar, for helping her navigate that journey.
“Alana sent me resources and inspired me to actively participate in the fight for Palestinian freedom,” she shared, adding that Gigi introduced her to Palestinian food while Anwar helped spark her interest through his work.
Despite the warmth, Aydan admitted that the adaptation was not easy.
She described the emotional complexity of finding a family later in life and explained that she felt pressure to make up for lost time.
“I was trying to find my place in a family I never knew I had,” she wrote, recalling moments of togetherness that felt both joyful and overwhelming.
He also reflected on his upbringing in Florida and the loss of the father he grew up with, noting that learning the truth changed his understanding of family without forgetting the love he had known.
“It didn’t change who she was to me,” Aydan said of the sister she grew up with, “but it forced me to reorient what family meant.”
Professionally, his life has continued to move at its own pace.
Aydan shared that he works as a freelance stylist and recently helped out on major fashion projects, including helping backstage at a show in Barcelona.
Even so, he emphasized that his day-to-day life remains strong.
“I live in a small one-bedroom apartment… I take the subway or the bus to work,” she wrote, adding that despite the public’s curiosity, she is focused on living authentically.
“I’m doing my best to live my life for me,” Aydan concluded, “and remember that even with more eyes on me, my life is still mine.”
