Australian model and swimwear designer Sahara Ray has died. She was 34. Her death came just months after she welcomed her first child, a daughter named Snow.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,” Ray’s family told TMZ, which first reported her death Monday. “She was so loved.”
What we know
Ray died Sunday in a hospital, surrounded by her family. They have not disclosed a cause of death.
Her mother, Gretchen Bach, remembered her as “an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing,” in a statement to the Daily Mail.
Months after welcoming Snow
Ray gave birth to Snow on Jan. 27. Before being induced, she wrote on Instagram, “Wish me luck. I get induced today at 8 p.m. So excited, so nervous.”
She officially introduced her daughter to her followers in April with a video set to Justin Bieber’s 2025 song “Everything Hallelujah,” captioned “Baby snow hallelujah.”
Snow was also the subject of Ray’s final Instagram post. In July, she shared a set of photos of her daughter with a simple caption: “My whole heart.”
A life in the public eye
The daughter of Australian surfer Tony Ray, she built a public profile as a model and businesswoman, launching her swimwear line, Sahara Ray Swim, in 2014. Her profile grew in 2016, when she was photographed vacationing with Bieber in Hawaii and the two were romantically linked. Bieber never publicly confirmed a relationship.
In 2024, Ray told followers she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome after being hit by a car, which left her partially paralyzed for a time. She later shared videos of her recovery. Her family has not connected her death to the illness.
Friends share tributes
Friends have begun sharing tributes online. Becky Hearn, a friend of Ray’s, posted throwback photos of the two on Instagram and wrote, “Sahara, a pure one with a very big heart. My heart is broken for you and your family. Rest in peace,” Page Six reported.
What’s next
Ray’s family has not announced funeral or memorial plans. She is survived by her daughter.
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