Australian swimwear model and designer Sahara Ray has passed away at the age of 34, as reported by TMZ and confirmed by People.
"She passed away surrounded by her family at the hospital. She was very loved," stated the family of the young woman, who had just become a mother earlier this year.
The cause of her death has not been confirmed yet, which occurred two years after Sahara revealed being diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, where the immune system attacks the peripheral nerves.
She herself shared that it all started after being hit by a drunk driver who was speeding. The impact, as the model explained, led to this condition: "Basically, that caused my body to go into shock, which in turn caused me this terrible illness. I was very, very sick for about a week and a half or two weeks. During that time, I hardly ate because I couldn't keep food down, and my body weakened a lot."
According to media reports, Ray, who welcomed a daughter Snow earlier this year, rose to fame thanks to her modeling career and social media presence, gaining a large following on Instagram while launching her own swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
After two successful years as a model and designer, she became one of the most sought-after women due to her images with Justin Bieber, whom she met when the artist was recording music in Atlanta. They were seen enjoying the beaches of Hawaii together, but never confirmed or denied their relationship. Her romance with Cody Simpson, an Australian singer and athlete who had also dated Gigi Hadid and Miley Cyrus, was also well-known.