Australian model Sahara Ray has died aged 34.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital. She was so loved,” Ray’s family confirmed to TMZ.
Sahara Ray pictured in 2023. Getty
Her cause of death has not been confirmed.
Ray was the daughter of Australian big-wave surfer Tony Ray and grew up splitting her time between Victoria, California and Hawaii.
She rose to fame through her modelling career and social media presence, and founded her own swimwear line, Sahara Ray Swim, in 2014.
She also made headlines in 2015 for being linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson, and was pictured holidaying with Justin Bieber in Hawaii in 2016.
Ray welcomed her first child, a daughter named Snow, in January.
Her final Instagram post was a tribute to her baby in July.
“My whole heart, baby Snow,” she shared alongside photos.
In 2024, Ray opened up about being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition, after being hit by a car.
It causes the body’s immune system to attack the nerves and can cause weakness, numbness or paralysis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Ray announced her pregnancy in August 2025 and welcomed her daughter in January. Instagram/@sahara_ray
“I’m so overwhelmed with what’s been going on with me,” she said at the time.
“So basically right now, I’m paralysed from the tops of my upper thighs all the way down to my feet. I can’t walk at all. I am primarily in a wheelchair, and I have a walker.”