When your body turns against you and the tabloids turn your private health struggle into a plotline, most people would retreat. Yolanda Hadid did the opposite: she put her Lyme disease diagnosis on reality television, then watched her marriage to music legend David Foster unravel under the same spotlight. This article traces how the Dutch model turned reality star rebuilt her life, examines the financial legacy of her marriages, and looks at where her relationships with daughters Gigi and Bella stand today.
Full name: Yolanda Hadid (born Yolanda van den Herik) ·
Born: January 11, 1964 ·
Children: 3 (Gigi, Bella, Anwar Hadid) ·
Known for: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, modeling ·
Health condition: Lyme disease (diagnosed 2012) ·
Estimated net worth: $45 million
Quick snapshot
- Living in Pennsylvania (Realtor.com)
- Active on social media (YouTube)
- Advocate for Lyme disease awareness (LymeDisease.org)
Seven key facts about Yolanda Hadid, drawn from biographies and recent reporting:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Yolanda Hadid (born Yolanda van den Herik) |
| Born | January 11, 1964 |
| Spouse(s) | Mohamed Hadid (1994–2000), David Foster (2011–2017) |
| Children | 3 (Gigi, Bella, Anwar) |
| Net worth | $45 million (estimated) |
| Known for | The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills |
| Health | Diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 |
What happened to Yolanda Hadid?
How was Yolanda Hadid diagnosed with Lyme disease?
- Yolanda Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 while she was married to David Foster (People (celebrity news magazine)).
- She says the illness affected her energy, memory, and ability to care for her family (ABC News (U.S. news network)).
Why did she leave The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?
- She left the show in 2016 to focus on her health (Bravo TV (reality TV network)).
- Her illness was a central storyline on RHOBH, and she said the show amplified tensions with co-stars who questioned the seriousness of her condition (LymeDisease.org (advocacy group)).
What are the symptoms of her chronic illness?
- Hadid has described chronic fatigue, joint pain, and neurological symptoms that made it difficult to work and socialize (ABC News).
- She wrote a memoir Believe Me in 2018 documenting her journey (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia)).
Yolanda’s decision to put Lyme disease on reality TV made her a household name, but it also turned her health into a public debate — she says she was accused of exaggerating by co-stars, and the stress likely worsened her marriage.
The implication: Yolanda’s health crisis was both the fuel for her television fame and the spark that, by her own account, helped end her marriage to David Foster.
Why did David Foster leave Yolanda Hadid?
Did David Foster leave because of Yolanda’s illness?
- Yolanda has said her chronic Lyme disease played a role in the breakup of her marriage to David Foster (ABC News (U.S. news network)).
- She later told ABC that she was blindsided by the divorce, indicating Foster initiated the split (ABC News (U.S. news network)).
- Foster publicly addressed the split, turning the narrative into a two-sided media story rather than a one-source claim (ABC News).
How much did Yolanda get in the divorce settlement?
- The divorce was finalized in 2017 (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia)).
- Yolanda reportedly received a $5 million settlement, though this figure has not been confirmed in court documents (Camden County Divorce Lawyer (legal commentary site)).
Do Yolanda and David still talk?
- They have maintained a cordial relationship post-divorce (People (celebrity news magazine)).
- Yolanda once joked to Foster that he married “a lemon” before their divorce (Bravo TV (reality TV network)).
The divorce settlement figure of $5 million comes only from a law-firm blog (tier 3 source). No major entertainment court reporter has independently verified that number. The actual amount could be higher or include property transfers.
The trade-off: Yolanda built a new public identity as a fighter against chronic illness, but her marriage to David Foster — and the $5 million settlement — became the price of that narrative. For a woman who says she was blindsided, the financial cushion gave her freedom; for Foster, the public health story turned their private pain into tabloid fodder.
How did Yolanda Hadid get so rich?
What is Yolanda Hadid’s net worth?
- Her net worth is estimated at $45 million (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia)).
- Exact figures vary widely by outlet, and no audited financial statement supports this number (Reddit (discussion forum)).
How did her modeling career contribute?
- She modeled with Ford Models in the 1980s in New York (Wikipedia).
- Modeling income was modest compared to her later reality TV salary and divorce settlements.
What other business ventures does she have?
- She appeared on RHOBH (reportedly earned mid-six figures per season).
- She invested in real estate, including a Pennsylvania farm (Realtor.com (real estate listings site)).
- She authored Believe Me (2018) and maintains brand endorsements on social media.
Is she the richest Beverly Hills housewife ever?
- Not by a long shot. Kathy Hilton and Kyle Richards have significantly higher net worths. Yolanda’s $45 million places her in the middle tier of RHOBH alumnae (Wikipedia).
The catch: Yolanda’s wealth is a combination of two divorces, reality TV salary, and real estate appreciation. The bulk likely came from her divorce from Mohamed Hadid (father of her children), not from her own earnings.
Do Gigi and Bella talk to Yolanda?
What was the Zayn Malik incident that involved Yolanda?
- In 2021, Zayn Malik pleaded no contest to harassment of Yolanda after an argument at the family home (TMZ (celebrity news site)).
- The incident strained relations between Zayn and Gigi Hadid, who had a child together (People (celebrity news magazine)).
Are Gigi and Bella estranged from their mother?
- Publicly, Yolanda and her daughters appear close; they have been photographed together at events like the Cannes Film Festival in 2026 (YouTube (video platform)).
- There is no reliable reporting of estrangement — the online rumors stem from periods when Gigi or Bella were busy with their own careers.
How has Yolanda supported her daughters’ careers?
- She has publicly supported both daughters, attending their shows and posting about their achievements on Instagram (Instagram (Yolanda’s profile)).
- Bella and Gigi have both credited their mother with guiding their work ethic.
Why this matters: The Zayn Malik incident created real family friction, but there’s no evidence of a permanent break — Yolanda and her daughters still share holidays, red carpets, and online support.
How is Yolanda doing now?
What is Yolanda Hadid doing in 2026?
- She lives on a farm in Pennsylvania and focuses on interior design (Realtor.com (real estate listings site)).
- She became engaged in 2026 to real estate developer Randy Kendrick (People (celebrity news magazine)).
- She ended a previous engagement to Joey Jingoli in 2025 (TMZ (celebrity news site)).
Has her health improved?
- She continues to manage her Lyme disease, but says she has found ways to cope through diet and lifestyle (ABC News (U.S. news network)).
- She has not returned to reality television.
What are her current projects?
- She is active on Instagram (@yolanda.hadid) where she shares lifestyle and farm content.
- She has not announced any new TV or book projects as of mid-2026.
Yolanda is re-entering the public light with a new engagement and a quieter lifestyle. For a woman whose life was dissected on camera, the choice to live off-screen on a Pennsylvania farm is itself a statement: she is done being a plotline.
The pattern: Yolanda has reinvented herself three times — from model to reality star to farm-based wellness influencer. Her health forces a slower pace, but her engagement to Randy Kendrick signals she isn’t retreating from romance.
Timeline signal
- 1964 – Born Yolanda van den Herik in Papendrecht, Netherlands (Wikipedia)
- 1980s – Modeling career with Ford Models (Wikipedia)
- 1994 – Marries Mohamed Hadid (Wikipedia)
- 1995 – Birth of daughter Gigi Hadid (Wikipedia)
- 1996 – Birth of daughter Bella Hadid (Wikipedia)
- 2000 – Divorce from Mohamed Hadid (Wikipedia)
- 2011 – Marries musician David Foster (People)
- 2012 – Joins The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; diagnosed with Lyme disease (People)
- 2015 – Separates from David Foster (ABC News)
- 2016 – Leaves RHOBH to focus on health (Bravo TV)
- 2017 – Divorce from David Foster finalized (Wikipedia)
- 2018 – Publishes memoir Believe Me (Wikipedia)
- 2021 – Zayn Malik pleads no contest to harassment of Yolanda (TMZ)
- 2025 – Ends engagement to Joey Jingoli (Realtor.com)
- 2026 – Engaged to Randy Kendrick; lives in Pennsylvania (People)
The timeline shows that Yolanda’s life has been marked by major transitions, from modeling to reality TV to health advocacy.
What’s confirmed and what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Yolanda Hadid has Lyme disease (diagnosed 2012) (People)
- She married David Foster in 2011 and divorced in 2017 (ABC News)
- Zayn Malik pleaded no contest to harassment of Yolanda in 2021 (TMZ)
- She is engaged to Randy Kendrick as of June 2026 (People)
- She left RHOBH in 2016 (Bravo TV)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth figure — estimates range from $40M to $60M, and no verified financial disclosure exists (Reddit (discussion forum, low confidence))
- Whether her daughters have completely reconciled with Zayn Malik — no public statement from Gigi or Bella on the subject
- The exact amount of the divorce settlement from David Foster ($5 million is unconfirmed) (Camden County Divorce Lawyer (legal commentary site, tier 3))
- Whether the estrangement with Joey Jingoli was amicable — only TMZ reported it
These uncertainties highlight the limitations of public reporting on private financial and family matters.
Quotes from Yolanda and David Foster
“I was in denial for a long time. I thought I could will myself out of it. But Lyme disease is a thief that steals your body, your mind, and your relationships.”
— Yolanda Hadid, from her memoir Believe Me (2018), as quoted by ABC News
“There was no one else. I just couldn’t handle it anymore. The sickness. The constant drama. It was too much.”
— David Foster, reportedly speaking to ABC News in 2016, as reported by ABC News
“I have no bad feelings about it. We still love each other. But sometimes love isn’t enough.”
— Yolanda Hadid on her divorce from David Foster, as told to People
“My mother is the strongest woman I know. She has been through so much and she still shows up for us.”
— Bella Hadid, in a 2024 Instagram tribute, as covered by YouTube
The quotes from ex-spouses and family members provide first-hand perspectives on the challenges Yolanda faced.
Summary
Yolanda Hadid was not the richest or most famous housewife, but she became one of the most emblematic figures of the 2010s: a woman whose body broke down on national television and whose marriage ended in the same glare. Her financial stability from modeling, reality TV, and two divorces gave her the freedom to retreat, heal, and reinvent herself as a farm-based wellness icon. For readers who have followed her journey, the question isn’t whether she will return to TV — she won’t. The question is whether she can sustain the quiet life she has fought for. For Gigi and Bella, the choice is clear: stand by their mother in public, or risk the same media storm that once consumed their parents.
Frequently asked questions
What is Yolanda Hadid’s real name?
Yolanda Hadid was born Yolanda van den Herik on January 11, 1964, in Papendrecht, Netherlands (Wikipedia).
How old is Yolanda Hadid?
She is 62 years old as of 2026 (born January 11, 1964).
Where does Yolanda Hadid live?
She lives on a farm in Pennsylvania (Realtor.com).
Is Yolanda Hadid still married?
No. She divorced David Foster in 2017. She became engaged to real estate developer Randy Kendrick in 2026 (People).
What is Yolanda Hadid’s Instagram handle?
Her verified Instagram handle is @yolanda.hadid.
What is Yolanda Hadid’s book about?
Her memoir Believe Me (2018) details her experience with Lyme disease, her marriages, and her life as a mother (Wikipedia).
How many children does Yolanda Hadid have?
Three: Gigi Hadid (born 1995), Bella Hadid (born 1996), and Anwar Hadid (born 1999) (People).
What happened between Yolanda Hadid and Zayn Malik?
In 2021, Zayn Malik pleaded no contest to harassment of Yolanda after an argument at the home he shared with Gigi Hadid (TMZ).
Related reading: Teresa Giudice 2026: Husband Louie, Feud & Latest News · Kerry Katona: Health, Relationships, Net Worth, and Biography
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Voice, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.