Sahara Ray
Model Dead at 34
Published
October 19, 2026
9:18 AM PDT
|
Updated
October 19, 2026
11:40 AM PDT
Sahara Ray, the Australian model and swimwear designer who once made headlines for her rumored relationship with Justin Bieber, has died … TMZ has learned.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital. She was so loved,” Sahara’s family tells TMZ.
Her cause of death has not been confirmed.
Ray rose to fame through her modeling career and social media presence, building a massive following on Instagram while launching her own swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
She made headlines in 2016 when she was photographed vacationing with Bieber in Hawaii. She was also previously romantically linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson.
The model was the daughter of legendary Australian surfer Tony Ray and spent much of her childhood traveling between Australia, California and Hawaii.
In 2024, Sahara opened up about her battle with Guillain-Barré syndrome — a rare neurological disorder that left her partially paralyzed following a serious car accident.
She was 34.
RIP