American supermodel Gigi Hadid made a rare appearance on the March 22 episode of the reality TV series "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (RHOBH). The Victoria Secret model broke down in tears while paying tribute to her mom Yolanda Foster through an emotional speech during the Global Lyme Alliance inaugural gala.
The Daily Mail reports that during the said episode, Yolanda invited her RHOBH friends and family members to watch her get honored at the special occasion, which was held in New York City in October of last year. Yolanda's daughters, Gigi and Bella Hadid were present at the swanky event, as well as Gigi's then-boyfriend Joe Jonas.
The 20-year-old Gigi, Yolanda's eldest daughter, took the podium to introduce Yolanda to receive her honor. The Sports Illustrated model struggled to maintain her composure while making the heartfelt introduction.
"Tonight, we are honoring the person that, more than anyone I know, is hope for Lyme disease awareness, my mom," Gigi said while breaking down in tears. "For your fight, for your passion, and for making your journey one that will help so many, I'm so proud to honor you with this award."
Yolanda and Bella also broke down in tears while watching from the audience. Kyle Richards, who has been vocal in the past about her doubts on Yolanda's Lyme disease, was also seen crying.
In her speech, Yolanda thanked Gigi for her beautiful words and for "exceeding every hope, every dream and every expectation I had for you." She also thanked David Foster, her husband at that time, for standing by with her during her "painful and unromantic journey."
Yolanda also revealed that her daughter Bella, 19, and Anwar, 16, were also diagnosed with Lyme disease. Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks and can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system if left untreated.
According to USA Today, Yolanda's Lyme disease has been questioned by her fellow RHOBH stars in the latest season. Lisa Rinna has accused Yolanda of faking her condition while Lisa Vanderpump claimed Yolanda was lying about Bella and Anwar's Lyme disease.
