Sahara Ray, the Australian model and swimwear designer who revealed that the rare neurological condition Guillain-Barré syndrome had left her partially paralysed, has died in hospital aged 34, her family have confirmed.

Ray, who founded the swimwear label Sahara Ray Swim, died on Sunday 18 October, according to a statement the family gave to TMZ.

'She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital,' the statement said. 'She was so loved.'

The family have not publicly stated a cause of death. The Daily Mail, citing a source close to the model, has reported that Ray suffered a suspected fentanyl overdose on Friday night and was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital, and that her family decided to withdraw life support as her condition worsened.

This account has not been confirmed by the family or by authorities, and it is not known whether her death was connected to the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) she disclosed in 2024. She leaves a daughter, Snow, born in January.

Condition Disclosed After Car Crash

Ray told her followers in May 2024 that she had been diagnosed with GBS after a car crash the previous month. At the time, she had nearly 900,000 followers on Instagram.

In videos reported by 7NEWS Australia, she said her 'whole life changed in an instant'. She described tingling and numbness in her feet that climbed up her legs, and said she could not walk within about a week and a half. She said she was paralysed from the tops of her upper thighs all the way down to her feet.

She said she was 'primarily in a wheelchair' and could 'barely walk' with a frame, and admitted she was 'pretty depressed'. Other posts showed her in rehabilitation sessions, thanking her family and doctors for helping her grow 'stronger every day'.

'I'm really hoping and praying that I get to walk again someday,' she said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves, causing symptoms such as weakness, tingling and, in severe cases, paralysis or breathing difficulties. There is no known cure, but treatments including intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange can ease symptoms and speed recovery.

Most people recover, although some experience lasting weakness, numbness or fatigue.

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Motherhood and Online Tributes

Ray later shared posts showing her pregnancy and aspects of her life as a mother. Her publicly reported recovery from Guillain-Barré syndrome remained unclear. She gave birth to Snow in January and used her Instagram account to share life as a mother.

Her final post, on 19 July, was a set of photographs of the baby captioned 'My whole heart', followed by a white heart emoji. Followers filled the comments with tributes after the news emerged. 'RIP Queen,' one wrote.

Fellow influencer Sabrina Zada shared a montage of photographs of the pair. She wrote that Ray was 'bigger than the whole sky' and added: 'None of this makes sense without you.'

Ray's mother, Gretchen, told media: 'Sahara was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing.'

Career, Family and Public Profile

Ray was the daughter of Australian surfer Tony Ray and spent her childhood between Australia, California and Hawaii. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and launched Sahara Ray Swim in 2014.

She was romantically linked to the singers Cody Simpson and Justin Bieber, and was photographed with Bieber on holiday in Hawaii in 2016.

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