Sahara Ray, a model who was rumored to have dated Justin Bieber, has died. She was 34 years old and had welcomed a daughter in January of this year.
© Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for CoaThe news was confirmed by her family, who revealed that Ray died at the hospital. She was the daughter of Tony Ray, a famous Australian surfer.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,” the family told TMZ in a statement. “She was so loved.”
The cause of death has not been revealed, but Ray had been open about her battle with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition she acquired after being involved in a serious car accident that left her partially paralyzed.
© Getty Images“I’m so overwhelmed with what’s going on with me,” she said in a TikTok in 2024, as reported by Australia’s 7News. “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."
"I am primarily in a wheelchair, and I have a walker.”
Ray's connection to Bieber
© Getty Images for Global CitizenRomance rumors between Ray and Bieber began in 2016, after she shared a photo of herself and some friends alongside Justin Bieber. The group appeared to be on a getaway in Hawaii, and were seen inside a car, with Bieber wearing some headphones and looking at the camera for the group photo.
She became famous due to her modeling work and social media presence, which allowed her to launch her own swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
Earlier this year, Ray welcomed her daughter on an Instagram post set to Bieber's "Hallelujah." The baby is named Snow.
“Baby snow hallelujah,” Ray captioned the post.
Her last post was shared in July of this year and showed her daughter wearing different outfits, including a blue dress. "My whole heart," Ray captioned the post. She was reportedly living in Los Angeles earlier this year, but she reportedly split her time between the US, Hawaii, and Australia.
© WireImage
