Australian model Sahara Ray, who previously dated pop star Justin Bieber, has died in hospital at the age of 34, just months after welcoming her first child. Her family confirmed the news, saying she passed away "surrounded by family."
Sahara, who dated Justin before his marriage to Hailey Bieber, died last week. Reports from the Daily Mail indicate she overdosed on the drug fentanyl on Friday night in Los Angeles. She was taken to a hospital and placed on life support until her family made the difficult decision to turn it off.
Family's tribute and final moments
Her family confirmed the sad news to TMZ, stating: "She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital. She was so loved."
Sahara was the daughter of Tony Ray, a surfer, and Gretchen Bach. She became a mother for the first time in January 2026 when she gave birth to her daughter, whom she named Snow.
Shortly after her death, Gretchen paid tribute, saying: "Sahara was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing." Speaking to the Daily Mail, she added: "We're feeling the love that is pouring in from her cherished friends, fans and the many communities that she was part of around the world."
Health struggles and final posts
Sahara's final social media post focused on her baby daughter, featuring a series of photos with the caption: "My whole heart [white heart emoji] baby Snow."
In 2024, Sahara, who was also romantically linked to American singer-songwriter Mod Sun, opened up about her health struggles, revealing she had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition where the immune system attacks the nervous system. She said the condition was triggered when a drunk driver hit her, explaining: "It basically sent my body into shock, which sent my body into this crazy sickness."
She continued: "I got really, really sick for like a week and a half to two weeks. During that time, I barely ate any food because I couldn't keep it down, and my body got really weak." She told her followers: "This has been really hard to deal with and I've been trying keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back." Strength did return to her legs, and recent videos showed she no longer required assistance to walk.
Career and personal life
Sahara, originally from Australia, was brought up in Santa Cruz, California, and studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. She modelled for numerous magazines and launched her own beachwear brand.
After dating Sahara, Justin returned to his on-off relationship with Selena Gomez, which ended for good in 2018. He kindled his romance with Hailey Baldwin the same year, and they married that September. They welcomed their first child together in 2024, Jack Blues Bieber.
