Pride in History: Remembering life & legacy of Philadelphia native Gia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- October is LGBTQ History Month.
One historic figure was Gia Carangi, who was born in 1960 in Philadelphia's Torresdale neighborhood.
Her life was filled with ups, downs, love, and ultimately tragedy. But in her short 26 years, she left a mark and legacy that still endures today.
"I knew at that moment she was a star," said Sandy Linter.
Only a few people knew Gia Carangi as well as Linter. Their relationship was famously portrayed in the 1998 HBO film "Gia."
Linter is a renowned makeup artist, who met Gia in September of 1978 on a photoshoot.
"She took her feet and threw them over the desk and picked up my punk sunglasses and put them on, and folded her arms and stared," Linter remembers of the first time she met Gia.
READ MORE: Philadelphia-born supermodel was one of first women to die of AIDS
Linter says Gia was full of Philly attitude that stood out from the rest of the models, and it's one of the things that attracted her to Gia.
"I didn't care and she didn't care, and I fell in love with her," said Linter.
Gia was only 19 years old when she rose to international fashion fame, gracing her first cover of Cosmopolitan Italy.
Her career lasted less than five years, but she became the world's first supermodel with multiple covers in Vogue.
It all wouldn't be possible without the people who discovered her.
"I had turned to my left and I had saw this beautiful woman just an absolutely beautiful girl, and I was overwhelmed with her," said Maurice Tannenbaum.
In 1977, Tannenbaum met Gia at a Center City gay bar and took her first pictures that would lead to her first modeling gigs in New York City.
"Within a year she was photographing in Europe. She was doing Armani, Chanel everybody that was anybody," said Tannenbaum.
Gia lived her life unapologetically and authentically herself.
"She would never call herself queer, and she never called herself anything but Gia. She was who she was," said Linter.
At the time, when topics of sexuality were taboo.
"The idea that you would be out as a famous person was like career suicide," says program coordinator for LGBT Studies at Temple University, Brad Windhauser.
While at the peak of her career in the 80s, Gia fell into the dark side of the glitz and glamour. She started using heroin.
She spoke about it during the 1982 ABC 20/20 special about drug abuse in the modeling industry, claiming she was free of her addiction.
Gia would use drugs again, with multiple stints in rehabs, including at Eagleville Hospital. She would eventually get diagnosed with AIDS.
"He said Gia asked him to call me and apologize that she didn't show up, that she was in the hospital with AIDS," said Tannenbaum.
Gia spent her last months battling AIDS -- the battle she would ultimately lose in 1986 at 26 years old.
Gia became one of the first women to die of AIDS.
In our interview last year, Linter recounted the last time she saw her.
"All of a sudden I could feel that my shirt was wet, dripping wet. So she was sobbing quietly. Just by seeing her, I was so happy. This is such, I'm so happy for you Gia. Go do what you have to do and we will meet again", said Linter.
Gia's life and legacy gained mainstream attention with the book "Thing of Beauty" and of course the HBO movie starring Angelina Jolie.
"Gia and I were happy. I am so glad I was able to give her some happiness while she was living. I mean her short life that makes me happy," said Linter.
The life of triumph and tragedy, leaving behind a legacy for generations to come.
