Sahara Ray, Former Justin Bieber Ex and Model, Dies at 34

Australian influencer, swimsuit designer, and former partner of Justin Bieber Sahara Ray has died in a Los Angeles hospital surrounded by her family. According to entertainment site TMZ, the model died at the age of 34, while PEOPLE reported her age as 33. She leaves behind a ten-month-old daughter named Snow.

Hospitalized in Los Angeles

Ray passed away on the evening of October 18, according to her family. Her death occurred in a Los Angeles hospital with loved ones present. Australian media outlets have pointed toward a possible fentanyl overdose, though the official cause of death has not yet been publicly disclosed.

Ray grows up in surf culture and models

Born in Australia in 1993, Ray spent her formative years growing up primarily in Santa Cruz, California. Her father, Tony Ray, worked as a professional surfer and achieved an 11th-place ranking worldwide in 1992. Throughout her childhood, she frequently accompanied him to Hawaii and various international surf competitions. She later established herself as a model and entrepreneur, amassing hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and launching her own swimwear line, Sahara Ray Swim.

Model Sahara Ray — who once dated Justin Bieber — dead at 34 just months after welcoming first child

Ray attracts media attention and becomes a mother

Global media attention intensified around Ray in 2016 when photographs captured her alongside Justin Bieber during a vacation in a Hawaii villa. Paparazzi images of the pair swimming naked sparked widespread media speculation about a romantic relationship. She was later linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson. In August 2025, she announced her pregnancy, welcoming her daughter Snow in early 2026 without publicly identifying the father. She regularly shared photos and videos of her motherhood on social media, and in April 2026, she posted her first video showing her daughter and expressing her happiness over the new family member. The news of her passing has deeply saddened her fans, especially because she welcomed her first child this year.

Struggle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome

In 2024, Ray spoke publicly about her diagnosis with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological condition where the immune system attacks peripheral nerves, disrupting signals between the spinal cord, muscles, and skin. Following a severe car accident, the condition left her partially paralyzed from the upper legs down, requiring her to rely on a wheelchair and a rollator for mobility.