Australian model Sahara Ray has died aged 34 after welcoming her first child in 2026. Sources close to her have confirmed the news, although the cause of her death remains unknown.
The fashion world is mourning following the news of Sahara Ray’s death at the age of 34. The Australian model, designer and entrepreneur, who gained international recognition through her successful career and her reported romance with Justin Bieber, has died just months after becoming a mother for the first time. The unexpected news has shocked her followers and those who had followed her career over the years.
According to US entertainment outlet TMZ, sources close to the model confirmed her passing, revealing that she spent her final moments surrounded by loved ones. “She passed away last night surrounded by her family in hospital. She was very loved,” they said.
For now, the official cause of her death has not been disclosed, although the news has brought renewed attention to the health struggles the Australian model had spoken about publicly in recent years.
In 2024, Sahara Ray revealed that she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves. The model explained that she had begun experiencing serious health complications after being involved in a road accident caused, according to her account, by a driver who was speeding while under the influence of alcohol.
At the time, she decided to share her experience to explain how dramatically her life had changed. “Basically, that caused my body to go into shock, which in turn triggered this terrible disease,” she recalled.
She also admitted to enduring several particularly difficult weeks, during which she was barely able to eat and experienced significant physical weakness. However, there has been no confirmation that the condition was connected to her death.
The news is particularly heartbreaking given the personal milestone she had recently celebrated. Earlier in 2026, Sahara Ray welcomed her first daughter, Snow, whom she showered with affection and once described as “my whole heart”.
Her last known Instagram post, shared in July, featured her baby daughter, offering a glimpse into a new chapter of her life centred around motherhood.
Born in Australia and the daughter of renowned surfer Tony Ray, Sahara grew up between California, Hawaii and her home country. Her connection to the fashion industry began at an early age and eventually developed into a career combining modelling with entrepreneurship.
In 2014, she launched Sahara Ray Swim, her own swimwear label, establishing a distinctive aesthetic inspired by the Californian lifestyle and beach culture.
Her name also attracted widespread media attention in 2016, when she was photographed alongside Justin Bieber during a holiday in Hawaii. Pictures of the pair enjoying time together in the sea sparked speculation about a possible romance, although neither publicly confirmed that they were in a relationship.
She had previously been romantically linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson, who is also known for his past relationships with Gigi Hadid and Miley Cyrus.
