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Australian model and swimwear designer Sahara Ray, who made headlines for her rumored relationships with Justin Bieber and Cody Simpson, has died at 34.
Ray's family confirmed her death to TMZ on Monday, Oct. 19, saying she passed away the previous night in a hospital surrounded by loved ones. "She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital. She was so loved," her family said.
Her cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Ray rose to prominence through modeling and her social media presence before launching her swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim, in 2014. She attracted widespread attention in 2016 after being photographed vacationing with Bieber in Hawaii. She was also linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson in 2015, although neither relationship was officially confirmed.
Ray's death comes less than a year after she welcomed her daughter, Snow, in January. In her final Instagram post, shared in July, she celebrated her baby girl with a series of photographs captioned, "My whole heart 🤍 baby Snow."
Her final public appearance was reportedly at the Ashton Michael RTW 10-Year Anniversary Show in Los Angeles in November 2023, where she attended alongside then-boyfriend Mod Sun and musician SIIICKBRAIN.
In 2024, Ray revealed she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome after being struck by a car. The rare neurological disorder occurs when the immune system attacks the nerves and can cause weakness and paralysis.
Ray documented her health struggles on social media, explaining that the condition had left her temporarily paralyzed from the upper thighs down. She experienced numbness in her feet, legs and fingertips and required a wheelchair and walker as she began rehabilitation.
She acknowledged the emotional toll of her condition while expressing hope that her symptoms would improve.
"This has been really hard to deal with," she explained. "I've been trying to keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back but there's always a chance it stays like this."
Following news of her death, fellow model Sabrina Zada paid tribute to Ray on social media, sharing photographs of the pair and expressing disbelief at the loss.
"You were bigger than the whole sky @sahara_ray," Zada wrote. "I miss you. Please text me back and say it's a moment and nothing more."
