Sahara Ray, model and Justin Bieber's ex, dies at 34 (cause of death revealed)
Sahara Ray, an Australian model and swimwear designer who was briefly linked to Justin Bieber, died on Sunday, October 18, at a hospital in the Los Angeles area. She was 34.
Her family confirmed the death in a statement to TMZ.
"She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital," the statement said. "She was so loved."
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| Photo credit: Sahara Ray / Instagram |
Cause of death
The Los Angeles County medical examiner has not released an official cause of death. But the Daily Mail report revealed that Sahara Ray suffered a suspected fentanyl overdose on Friday night and was placed on life support before her family made the decision to remove it on Sunday afternoon.
The report cited a source close to the model. It remains unclear whether the overdose was accidental or intentional.
Sahara Ray's mother, Gretchen Bach, issued a separate statement:
"Sahara was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing," Bach said. "We're feeling the love that is pouring in from her cherished friends, fans and the many communities that she was part of around the world."
Sahara Ray gave birth to Snow in January 2026. She never publicly identified the child's father.
In her final Instagram post, from July, she wrote:
"My whole heart baby Snow."
The model's death followed a period of significant health challenges.
In 2024, Ray disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system attacks the nerves.
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| Photo credit: Sahara Ray / Instagram |
She said the condition developed after she was hit by an alleged drunk driver travelling at 80 mph.
"So basically, right now I'm paralyzed from the tops of my upper thighs all the way down to my feet. I can't walk at all," she said in a social media video at the time.
Ray later documented her recovery, and videos showed her walking again before she became pregnant.
Born in Australia, Ray was the daughter of big-wave surfing legend Tony Ray. She grew up between Victoria, California and Hawaii.
She launched her swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim, in 2014 and amassed nearly 900,000 Instagram followers.
She first drew widespread attention in 2016 when she was photographed vacationing in Hawaii with Justin Bieber. The two were seen skinny-dipping.
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| Sahara Ray and Justin Bieber in a pool. Photo credit: Sahara Ray / Instagram |
She was also linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson and, more recently, to musician Mod Sun.
Tributes began appearing on social media on Monday. Model Becky Hearn posted several photos of Ray on her Instagram stories, writing:
"Will always love you my sweet soul."
Ray's final Instagram post, from July, remains online. It shows Snow in a series of photos.
The caption reads:
"My whole heart baby Snow."
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