. . #GiaCarangi (January 29, 1960 – November 18, 1986) was a Supermodel during the late 1970s early ‘80s who died of AIDS. . Carangi was born in Philadelphia. Her father was Italian and her mother was of Irish/Welsh ancestry. @sandylinter remembers, “Gia loved her mother. They had a complicated relationship. Gia's mom believed her father would kill her if she took Gia when she divorced him. So in order that Gia not witness her father killing her mother, Gia's mom, Kathleen Speer, left Gia with her father. Gia would forever feel abandoned by her mom at the difficult age of 11.” . Carangi moved to New York at 17 and signed with @wilhelminamodels and featured on the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She appeared in campaigns for @giorgioarmani @versace_official @dior and @Ysl and a favourite of photographers such as #Wangenheim and #Scavullo. . Carangi’s sexual orientation has been disputed: while some claim she was gay, others point to the fact she had many relationships with men and considered her bisexual. . Gia became addicted to heroin. Her modeling career rapidly declined. She was admitted to a drug treatment program in 1984 after which she got a job in a clothing store and as a checkout clerk and then in a nursing home cafeteria. By 1985, she had begun using drugs again. In June 1986, Carangi was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and diagnosed with AIDS; dying soon after aged 26. . Carangi’s funeral was held at a small funeral home in Philadelphia. It was said that nobody from the fashion world attended however @sandylinter recalls, . “The fact is AIDS was never mentioned. @harrrryking got a phone call from Gia's dad who told him Gia died of pneumonia. Then Harry called me right away. I knew from reading the many obituaries at the time 'pneumonia' meant AIDS. That's what most people had written in their obits when they passed. I was a part of her life and was completely blind-sided by her illness and death. In the age of no internet we did not know and that is why we did not go to her funeral. As late as October 1986 I thought I would see her at #WayBandy's memorial. The fashion industry might take the blame for some things but not for this.” . (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
