David Bowie's supermodel wife Iman struggled for years to feel at home in the U.S. - until New York city was devastated by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Somalian-born beauty came to America in 1975 after she was spotted by U.S. photographer Peter Beard, and landed her first modeling job with Vogue magazine. As an in-demand face throughout the last three decades, Iman stayed in the country, and was eventually granted American citizenship.

However she admits she never like she belonged in the U.S., or her adopted city of New York, until it came under attack in 2001 - and her local community fireman were wiped out in the catastrophe.

She tells Hello! Magazine, "I never felt American - although I've had citizenship for 30 years - until September 11 happened. I live in SoHo (New York). A couple of blocks from us, there's a fire station. They used to see me and Lexi (daughter) and she would be in her pram. The next thing she'd be tottering along. The firemen would ask, 'Is she talking? Did she get her new teeth?' I assumed she'd be going to her prom and they'd still be seeing her. None of them made it. I felt like my home had been attacked."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)