Sahara Ray Dies at 34, Model and Former Bieber Girlfriend
The Australian model and swimwear designer died nine months after giving birth to her daughter. The cause of death has not been officially announced.
Her family has confirmed the death of Sahara Ray. The Australian model was 34.
“She passed away last night in hospital, surrounded by family. She was very loved,” the family said in a statement about her death. Ray was also the founder of the swimwear brand Sahara Ray Swim, and the public remembers her for her relationship with singer Justin Bieber.
What is known about the cause of death?
Officially, nothing. No cause has been announced, and the sources differ on what they report.
Informer writes that Ray was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles on Friday evening. Citing sources it does not name, the outlet claims she allegedly took a powerful opioid, and adds that it is not yet known whether it was an accidental overdose. According to the same account, she was put on life support, and the family decided on Sunday afternoon to switch it off.
Telegraf, on the other hand, only notes that the cause of death has not been announced. The family’s statement says nothing about it. What actually happened has not been confirmed by any official source.
What did her mother and sister say?
Her mother, Gretchen Bach, told the Daily Mail that her daughter was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her child and surfing. She added that the support the family is receiving from all sides means a great deal to them.
“We feel the love coming to us from her dear friends, fans and the many communities around the world that she was part of,” Gretchen Bach said.
Her younger sister, Ruby, said goodbye in a post on social media. On Tuesday she shared a series of childhood photos and called Sahara a “force of nature”. As Informer reports, she also admitted that she finds it hard to imagine life without her sister.
Who was Sahara Ray?
She built her career in fashion and on social media, where she gathered a large following. She was the daughter of the late Australian surfer Tony Ray, and spent most of her childhood traveling between Australia, California and Hawaii.
She drew wider attention in 2016, when photos from a Hawaii vacation appeared showing her with Justin Bieber. Informer describes her as the singer’s partner at the time, while Telegraf writes that she was linked to him. She had earlier been linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson as well.
In 2024 she spoke openly about her health. She revealed that she had Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, and that she was left partially paralyzed after a serious car accident.
She died nine months after announcing the birth of her daughter on social media in January. The family did not give the child’s name in the statement about her death, so we do not include it.
