Entertainment News3 min(s) read
Justin Bieber breaks silence after ex Sahara Ray tragically dies aged 34
.webp_SmgFsc?tr=cr-292.0.1244.952,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
Justin Bieber has posted on social media for the first time since it was announced that his ex Sahara Ray died.
On Tuesday, Bieber posted a carousel featuring a selfie of him and his wife Hailey at Kacey Musgraves’ concert in Los Angeles, as well as other images and a video taken at the concert.
There was no mention of Sahara Ray in the post, and he has not publicly spoken about her passing.
The update marks the first activity on his profile since the Australian model and influencer passed away at 34 years old. Her family confirmed the news after she was treated in a Los Angeles hospital.
Who was Sahara Ray?
Ray was the daughter of Australian surfer Tony Ray and real estate agent Gretchen Bach. She established a career as a model and founder of her swimwear brand, Sahara Ray Swim.
She first made major headlines in 2016 when she was spotted vacationing with Bieber in Hawaii. She was also romantically linked to singers Mod Sun and Chris Miles.
Earlier this year, Ray became a mother. Although she gave birth in January, she waited until April to share a video on Instagram captioned: "Baby Snow hallelujah".
Her final Instagram update came on July 19. She uploaded photos of her young child alongside a simple tribute, writing: "My whole heart, baby Snow."
A suspected drug overdose
According to reports, Ray died following a suspected drug overdose on Sunday, October 18. In a statement shared with TMZ on Monday, her family confirmed: "She passed away last night surrounded by family at the hospital."
Her mother, Gretchen Bach, shared heartfelt words about her daughter's character, noting that she "was an incredibly passionate and kind young woman who loved her family, fashion, her daughter Snow, and surfing."
In the years leading up to her death, Ray spoke openly about serious health problems. Following a major car crash, she developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune condition that affected her mobility.
Addressing her followers after the accident, Ray shared the physical toll of her recovery: "Right now I’m paralyzed from the tops of my upper thighs all the way down to my feet. I can’t walk at all."
She admitted the process was extremely difficult to process: "This is really hard to deal with. I’ve been trying to keep a good attitude and be hopeful that my feeling comes back, but there’s always a chance it just stays like this."
In 2021, Ray also sought support for substance abuse and mental health, checking into a Malibu recovery facility. Reflecting on her decision at the time, she stated: "I just checked into a mental health, wellness, drug and alcohol addiction treatment center retreat. It's really beautiful."