Australian model and swimwear designer Sahara Ray, who made headlines for her romance with Justin Bieber, has died at the age of 34. Her death comes just months after she welcomed her first child, a daughter named Snow.

Ray “passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,” her family told TMZ on Monday. “She was so loved.”

A cause of death has not been revealed.

Ray Had Recently Become a Mother

Ray welcomed her daughter, Snow, in January 2026. Before giving birth, she shared her excitement and nerves with her Instagram followers as she prepared to be induced.

“Wish me luck. I get induced today at 8 p.m. So excited, so nervous,” she wrote.

In April, Ray formally introduced Snow to her followers with a sweet video showing mother and daughter cuddled together. She captioned the post, “Baby snow hallelujah,” and paired it with Justin Bieber’s song “Everything Hallelujah.”

Ray continued sharing glimpses of motherhood in the months that followed. Her final Instagram post, shared in July, featured a series of photos of her baby girl.

Her Serious Health Battle

Ray had previously spoken publicly about a frightening health crisis that left her unable to walk.

In April 2024, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome after being struck by a car and becoming extremely ill.

“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,” Ray explained in a TikTok video cited by Australian outlet 7NEWS.

She said her body had gone into shock and that she was eventually diagnosed with the rare neurological condition. At one point, Ray needed a wheelchair because of the paralysis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Guillain-Barré syndrome occurs when the immune system attacks the nerves. It can lead to weakness, numbness and, in serious cases, paralysis.

There has been no confirmation that Ray’s previous health problems were connected to her death.

Her Romance With Justin Bieber

Ray became the subject of widespread media attention in 2016 when she was romantically linked to Justin Bieber.

According to The Daily Beast at the time, Ray joined Bieber on a tropical getaway in Hawaii. The two were photographed spending time together, and reports of them skinny-dipping during the vacation quickly attracted attention.

Ray was 23 at the time and was already building a career as a model, fashion designer and social media personality.

The Daily Beast reported that she was believed to have entered Bieber’s social circle through her friendship with singer Cody Simpson, who had previously toured with Bieber. Ray was also reported to have dated Simpson after his 2015 split from Gigi Hadid.

Years later, Ray was linked to musician Mod Sun. In 2023, the pair sparked romance speculation after they were seen kissing in a social media post several months after his breakup with Avril Lavigne.

From Surfing Family to Fashion Career

Born in Australia, Ray was the daughter of professional surfer Tony Ray. Because of her father’s career, she spent much of her childhood traveling and developed particularly strong ties to Hawaii.

Ray once explained that she would spend about three months every winter on Oahu’s North Shore with her father while he competed in major surfing events.

For a time, it appeared she might follow him into professional surfing. However, at around 16, Ray decided to pursue fashion instead.

She later studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and created her own swimwear company, Sahara Ray Swimwear.

Ray frequently modeled her own designs and built a large following on social media, where her beach photos, travels and fashion work became a major part of her public image.

She once described herself as a “workaholic,” combining her modeling career with designing and promoting her swimwear line.

Ray is survived by her daughter, Snow, and her family.