NEW YORK: Australian fashion model and entrepreneur, Sahara Ray, once linked to pop superstar Justin Bieber, has died. She was 34.
TMZ reported that Ray's family announced her passing on Sunday (Oct 18) night "surrounded by family at the hospital."
No cause of death has been officially reported, but Ray spoke openly in 2024 about living with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
She told fans on social media that the diagnosis followed a serious car crash after she had been "mowed down by a drunk driver moving at 128 km/h."
The condition left her unable to walk without the help of a wheelchair or a walker.
"I've been pretty depressed obviously," she confessed.
Ray explained that the illness impacted her legs and feet and caused numbness in the tips of her fingers, though she had expressed optimism about making a recovery.
The National Institutes of Health describes Guillain-Barre syndrome as "a rare neurological disorder in which a person's immune system mistakenly attacks part of their peripheral nervous system."
In some severe cases, it can leave those afflicted unable to breathe on their own.
Alongside her modelling career, Ray launched her own swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
She gained public attention when she was spotted vacationing with Justin Bieber in Hawaii in 2016, with the pair appearing to be skinny dipping in photographs published by the Daily News.
Ray, the daughter of famous competitive surfer Tony Ray, was also romantically linked to Australian singer Cody Simpson.
She welcomed a daughter in January.
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