Sahara Ray’s legacy on and off the runway endures.
The model and swimsuit designer died Oct. 18, her family confirmed. She was 34.
“She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,” Ray’s family said in a statement to TMZ Oct. 19. “She was so loved.”
E! News has reached out to reps for Ray but has not yet heard back.
Influencer Sabrina Zada—who modeled alongside Ray— was among those who expressed their grief following the heartbreaking news.
“You were bigger than the whole sky @sahara_ray,” Zada wrote in an Oct. 19 post, alongside photos of she and Ray over the years. “Still will always be. I don’t know what to do anymore. None of this makes sense without you. Selfishly I just assumed you’d be here because why wouldn’t somebody as beautiful, kind, funny, and interesting as you be here anymore. I’m very confused. I miss you. Please text me back and say it’s a moment and nothing more.”
Ray’s modeling career took off in the mid-2010s and she later founded her self-titled swimsuit company, Sahara Ray Swim, in 2014. The model also had a brief, headline-making romance with Cody Simpson in 2015, and Justin Bieber in 2016, though she never confirmed either relationship.
And just months before her death, Ray added a new role to her resume: mom. She shared she welcomed a baby girl, Snow, in January and had documented the first few months of being a mom on social media, with her last post in May featuring her exercising.
Prior to giving birth, Ray had also suffered a significant health scare in 2024, when she told followers she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome shortly after being hit by a car.
“I have an autoimmune disease that I got a few weeks ago,” Ray said in a TikTok. “It is an autoimmune disease that attacks my nerves and my feet and my legs are affected. The tips of my fingers are numb as well.”
At the time, Ray said the ailment was causing her mental health to suffer, though she expressed cautious optimism about her future.
“This has been really hard to deal with,” she explained. “I’ve been trying to keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back but there’s always a chance it stays like this.”
For a look back at Ray's life in photos, keep reading.
Fun in the Sun
Sahara Ray proved that her happy place is always in the sun, sharing a photo of herself riding an ATV in a September 2015 Instagram post.
Strike a Pose
Ray documented her modeling journey over the years, including BTS shots from a March 2016 photoshoot. She captioned the post, "Work work work work work work."
Happiest Place on Earth
The model took a break from her busy schedule to enjoy a day at Disneyland Paris in July 2019, dressed in a Minnie Mouse-inspired ensemble.
Swimsuit Connoisseur
Ray often showed off the latest collection from her eponymous swimsuit brand, most recently featuring a baby pink bikini while posing on a jet ski in September 2024.
Bumpin' Along the Road to Motherhood
As the model prepared to strut into life as a new mom, she documented her growing baby bump throughout her pregnancy.
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Ray may have spent much of her time basking in the sun in California, Hawaii and her native Australia, but in August 2025, she revealed she'd named her baby girl Snow.
Mommy's Little Girl
Prior to Sahara Ray's death on Oct. 18 at age 34, she shared sweet glimpses into life as a mom to her daughter.
Mom's First Mother's Day
The model shared how much she'd loved the early months of motherhood as she celebrated Mother's Day in May.
“Happy Mother's Day to all my strong beautiful mothers," she captioned her Instagram post. “You are the light and love of my life baby Snow. Thank you for existing."
The Sweetest Friends
Sabrina Zada paid tribute to her friend. Referring to Taylor Swift's 2022 song, she wrote on Instagram that Ray was "bigger than the whole sky."
"Still will always be," she continued. "I don't know what to do anymore. None of this makes sense without you. Selfishly, I just assumed you'd be here because why wouldn't somebody as beautiful, kind, funny, and interesting as you be here anymore. I'm very confused. I miss you. Please text me back and say it's a moment and nothing more."