Sahara Ray, the Australian model and founder of Sahara Ray Swim, has died at 34 in a Los Angeles hospital. No official cause of death has been released. The Daily Mail reported a suspected fentanyl overdose, and her family has not commented on that reporting. Ray was the daughter of legendary surfer Tony Ray and welcomed her daughter, Snow Ray Dow, just nine months before her death.
On Instagram, her younger sister Ruby Ray shared a carousel of childhood and family photos alongside a tribute calling Sahara“a force of nature”and“the most incredible person to ever walk this earth.”Ruby wrote,“She was magic, she was warmth, she was laughter, she was love,”before adding,“I just want my big sister. I want more time. More laughter. More conversations. More of her.”
Ray had largely stepped out of the public eye in recent years. In 2024, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and was briefly paralyzed after being struck by a car. She had also been linked to Justin Bieber in 2016. As her family waits for answers, the tribute has become a reminder of how quickly a life can change. Have you ever lost someone and found yourself wishing for just one more conversation?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.