Heidi Klum Shares Emotional Post as Daughter Leni Leaves for College: 'Spread Your Wings and Fly'

It's a bittersweet day for Heidi Klum as her oldest child heads off to college.

On Tuesday, the America's Got Talent judge, 49, shared a heartfelt post on Instagram as her 18-year-old daughter Leni left for her "big move" to New York City.

Sharing a throwback photo of when she was pregnant with Leni at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Klum mused over how fast her daughter is growing up as she felt like the picture was taken "only yesterday."

"Today is your big move to head off to college… 🥹😿Seems like only yesterday that this photo was taken when I was four months pregnant with you safe and sound in my belly. 🤰🏼," she wrote.

"Sometimes I wish I could always have you that close but I know it's now time for you to go spread your wings and fly," Klum continued. "🦋Take flight, be safe and shine bright my @leniklum 💖"

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Klum shares daughters Leni and Lou, 12, and sons Henry, 16, and Johan, 15, with ex Seal. The kids are also close with Klum's husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, who considers himself an "extra dad" to his wife's children.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight last week, the model opened up about the emotions she's feeling as Leni prepared for her first year at college.

"I am [so proud]," Klum told the outlet. "You know, she has her head screwed on right."

"Right now, college is on top of the list. It's not modeling and she's really excited for that next chapter in her life," she added.

The proud mom said the next chapter means Leni is "unfortunately" moving out.

"Which is obviously sad but at the same time that she's got enough to go for it," she told ET. "She's moving to New York. I started in New York, so she knows New York inside and out because we shot Project Runway there for so many years."

Making a name for herself in the modeling world, Leni landed her first solo magazine cover with Glamour Germany last spring — exactly 20 years after Heidi was the magazine's first cover star.

The mother-daughter duo later covered Vogue Germany's January/February 2021 issue together, wearing colorful matching pantsuits and no shoes.