Iman's Mother Dies Just Months After David Bowie's Death

Iman posted an emotional tribute to her mother on Instagram in announcing her death on Friday.

Iman announced Friday that her mother had died, just under three months after the death of her husband, David Bowie.

The Somali supermodel, entrepreneur, actress, and humanitarian posted a photo of herself, her parents, and Bowie on Instagram with the caption: "Saddened by death of my mom Maryan Baadi. May Allah grant her the highest jennah. I beg that you respect my family's privacy during our time of grief," along with the hashtag #ripmaryanbaadi.

She told People that her mother was a retired gynecologist. She is also credited with naming Iman, which translates to "faith" in Arabic.

Bowie died of cancer on Jan. 10. The couple were married for nearly 24 years.

In a 2015 Harper's Bazaar interview, Iman talked about the sacrifices her parents, and particularly her mother, made to ensure she had access to a good education.

"[My parents] were both very political and doing two, three jobs at the same time so that's the environment I grew up in," she said. "They encouraged education, especially for me, as a Somali Muslim girl, because that would propel me to any height."

Iman said she initially resented her mother for sending her to a boarding school, "but then I found out she sold all her jewelry to pay for my education. That was the best school for girls in my country."

BuzzFeed News has reached out to Iman's representatives for more information.

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