Model Sahara Ray has died at the age of 34.
The Australian native, who was once romantically linked to celebrities like Justin Bieber and Cody Simpson, died over the weekend, her family told TMZ in a statement on Monday, Oct. 19. A cause of death was not revealed.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,” the family said. “She was so loved.”
Amid news of Ray's death, tributes poured in on social media.
Model Becky Hearn remembered her late friend with several throwback photos of the two on her Instagram stories, writing, "Will always love you my sweet soul ❤️❤️❤️."
Who was Sahara Ray? Model lived with rare condition
Ray was the daughter of famous Australian surfer Tony Ray and rose to fame as a model and influencer. She also owned a swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim, which she
launched over a decade ago.
In 2024, Ray revealed to her followers that she was living with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves, causing symptoms including weakness, numbness or paralysis, according to Mayo Clinic.
"This is really hard to deal with, and I've been trying to keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back, but there's always a chance it just stays like this," she said at the time, adding that she was paralyzed "from the tops of my thighs all the way down to my upper feet" and was "primarily in a wheelchair" because she could not "walk at all."
Ray said she developed the condition after being hit by a car in April 2024 and developing an infection while recovering. Mayo Clinic states that while the exact cause of Guillain-Barré is unknown, two-thirds of people have symptoms of an infection in the six weeks before Guillain-Barré symptoms begin.
She appeared to have regained her ability to walk in the months that followed, and she went on to get pregnant with her first child – a daughter named Snow – whom she welcomed in January. She documented motherhood on her social media, with her final Instagram post being in July, featuring a series of photos of the baby girl.
"My whole heart 🤍 baby Snow," Ray wrote in the caption.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Model Sahara Ray, Justin Bieber's ex, dies at 34
