Aydan Nix opens up about what it’s been like to discover a new family connection and how her life has changed since learning she’s half-sister to supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid.
In a deeply personal essay published by The cut on Dec. 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 given me space 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 their siblings, including Alana, Marielle and Anwar, for helping her navigate that journey.
“Alana sent me resources and inspired me to become active in the struggle for Palestinian freedom,” she shared, adding that Gigi introduced her to Palestinian food, while Anwar helped pique her interest through his work.
Despite the heat, Aydan admitted the adjustment was not simple.
She described the emotional complexity of finding family later in life and explained that she felt pressured 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 bonding that felt both joyful and overwhelming.
She also reflected on her upbringing in Florida and the loss of the father she grew up with, noting that learning the truth reshaped her understanding of family without forgetting the love she 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, her life continues to move forward at its own pace.
Aydan shared that she works as a freelance stylist and recently assisted on major fashion projects, including helping backstage at a runway show in Barcelona.
Still, she emphasized that her daily life remains grounded.
“I live in a small one-room apartment … I take the subway or the bus to work,” she wrote, adding that despite public curiosity, she is focused on living authentically.
“I do my best to live my life for me,” Aydan concluded, “and to remember that even with more eyes on me, my life is still my own.”
