Australian-American swimsuit model Sahara Ray has died from a fentanyl overdose, just months after becoming a mother for the first time.
Ray, 34, overdosed on the powerful opioid on Friday night and was taken to a Los Angeles-area hospital, according to a source close to the model who spoke to the Daily Mail.
She was placed on life support, but her family made the heartbreaking decision to remove her from it late Sunday afternoon, the insider said.
Ray was surrounded by loved ones when she died. It has not been confirmed whether the overdose was accidental or intentional.
Her mother, real estate agent Gretchen Bach, paid tribute to her daughter, describing her to the Mail as “an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing.”
“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,” Bach added.
The daughter of big-wave surfer Tony Ray, Ray first attracted widespread attention in 2016 amid reports that she had dated Justin Bieber.
She later built a successful modeling career and launched her own swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
Australian-American swimsuit model Sahara Ray died after a fentanyl overdose, according to a source close to her. Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
Ray’s final Instagram post, shared in July 2026, featured a carousel of photographs of her infant daughter, Snow. Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
Ray announced Snow’s birth in January, posting a series of images showing the swaddled newborn on Instagram.
She did not publicly disclose the identity of Snow’s father.
Her last Instagram update was a carousel of photos of her baby girl, posted in July. “My whole heart (heart emoji) baby Snow,” she wrote in the caption.
Ray had spoken publicly about facing personal struggles. In December 2021, she revealed that she was battling addiction.
She entered a 30-day treatment program for drug and alcohol abuse at a rehabilitation facility in Malibu, inviting followers to accompany her through the process.
“Hey, guys, I just wanted to update you and the journey that I’m on right now,” she said at the time from her bedroom at the facility.
“I just checked into a mental health, wellness, drug and alcohol addiction treatment center retreat. It’s really beautiful. It’s in Malibu.”
Ray, pictured far right, first made headlines in 2016 amid reports that she had dated Justin Bieber. Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
Ray announced the arrival of her daughter, Snow, in January by sharing a series of photographs of the swaddled infant on Instagram. Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
“I’m really excited to share my story with you guys. I’ll be here for 30 days. This is day one.”
‘I’m also documenting everything and I’ll be doing a YouTube video, so you guys can see the really vulnerable side. I’m going to keep it light on Instagram.’
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The model faced another health hardship in May 2024, telling her followers how she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition that sees the immune system attack the nerves.
The diagnosis came after she was hit by a drunk driver travelling at 80mph on April 8, she told her followers at the time.
Ray shared how she was paralyzed from her upper thighs down to her feet and reliant on a wheelchair and walker to get around.
‘It basically sent my body into shock which sent my body into this crazy sickness,’ she said of the accident.
‘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 continued.
Following her sickness, she began to feel tingling and numbness in her feet which progressed to her legs. The model was promptly rushed to the emergency room.
In December 2021, Ray revealed she was struggling with addiction. She checked into a 30-day treatment program for drug and alcohol abuse at a rehab facility in Malibu, and invited her fans to follow along with her treatment journey. Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
Ray was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition that sees the immune system attack the nerves, in May 2024 after being hit by a drunk driver going 80mph. Source: Sahara Ray/TikTok
She was paralyzed from her upper thighs down to her feet and reliant on a wheelchair and walker to get around. Source: Sahara Ray/TikTok
‘This has been really hard to deal with and I’ve been trying to keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back,’ she told her followers.
She appeared to have seen a significant improvement in her health since then, with her Instagram page flooding with content from her photoshoots.
Like her famous father, Ray grew up an avid surfer, but she gave up the sport as a teenager to pursue a career in modelling and fashion.
She moved from Australia to Los Angeles and enrolled in The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM).
Her fling with Bieber, which saw the pair caught by the paparazzi while enjoying a skinny dipping session, pushed her into the spotlight.
She was also known for her friendship with British model and socialite Lottie Moss.
She was the daughter of big wave surfer Tony Ray (left) and real estate agent Gretchen Bach, pictured with Ray in a childhood photo. Her heartbroken mother told the Daily Mail: ‘Sahara was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing.’ Source: Sahara Ray/Instagram
She was also known for her friendship with British model and socialite Lottie Moss, left. The pair are pictured at a January 2020 event in Los Angeles
Her notoriety only increased in the years since her dalliance with Bieber, mainly due to her penchant for sharing raunchy photos on Instagram.
Many of her posts show her completely naked. Others see her modelling skimpy outfits, including designs from her swimwear brand.
Like many provocative Instagram models, Ray joined adult website OnlyFans in 2020.
The model also sparked concern in June 2020 when she penned an emotional Instagram post claiming she’d been a victim of male predatory behavior.