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Model Sahara Ray Dead at 34, Less Than a Year After Welcoming Baby Girl
Bryana Holly is remembering Sahara Ray.
Just days after the model was confirmed to have died at age 34, Holly shared a touching tribute for her late friend and colleague.
“There’s nobody like you,” Holly wrote in an Oct. 20 Instagram post, per US Weekly. “No soul more radiant, no mind more beautiful, no heart more loving. How lucky am I to have spent so many years with you in my life. I am forever grateful the universe allowed us to cross paths.”
Holly—mom to two kids with Nicholas Hoult—added, “I will never forget the warmth, light, and love you shared with me.”
And in the days since Ray’s death, Holly has already felt her eternal presence.
“I’ve replayed all the old voice notes you sent,” the 33-year-old continued. “I’ve been reading the old letters you gave me. I can still hear you laughing next to me. I can still feel you holding my hand.”
The California native also reflected on how Ray supported her through their dual endeavors in the modeling industry.
“We would sing and dance and take long drives down the coast,” she recalled. “Stay up all night in your apartment talking and laughing and when I was crying, you would scratch my back until I fell asleep.”
Noting of her short time with Ray, she concluded, “I will cherish these memories for as long as I live.”
Ray’s relatives confirmed the swimsuit designer and model died Oct. 18 while surrounded by family in the hospital. In a statement to TMZ, they added, “She was so loved.”
Daughter to surf legend Tony Ray, the Australian model was a fixture of mid-2010s fashion campaigns, and founded her own eponymous swimwear company in 2014. Just nine months before her death, Ray announced she had welcomed her first child, a baby girl named Snow, and often shared glimpses into motherhood online.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Shortly after Ray’s family confirmed her death, a fellow influencer Sabrina Zada also shared she was devastated by the loss.
“You were bigger than the whole sky @sahara_ray,” Zada wrote in an Oct. 19 post, alongside photos of she and Ray over the years. “Still will always be. I don’t know what to do anymore. None of this makes sense without you.”
For a deeper look into Ray’s life, keep reading…
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Fun in the Sun
Sahara Ray proved that her happy place is always in the sun, sharing a photo of herself riding an ATV in a September 2015 Instagram post.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Strike a Pose
Ray documented her modeling journey over the years, including BTS shots from a March 2016 photoshoot. She captioned the post, "Work work work work work work."
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Happiest Place on Earth
The model took a break from her busy schedule to enjoy a day at Disneyland Paris in July 2019, dressed in a Minnie Mouse-inspired ensemble.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Swimsuit Connoisseur
Ray often showed off the latest collection from her eponymous swimsuit brand, most recently featuring a baby pink bikini while posing on a jet ski in September 2024.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Bumpin' Along the Road to Motherhood
As the model prepared to strut into life as a new mom, she documented her growing baby bump throughout her pregnancy.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Ray may have spent much of her time basking in the sun in California, Hawaii and her native Australia, but in August 2025, she revealed she'd named her baby girl Snow.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Mommy's Little Girl
Prior to Sahara Ray's death on Oct. 18 at age 34, she shared sweet glimpses into life as a mom to her daughter.
Sahara Ray/Instagram
Mom's First Mother's Day
The model shared how much she'd loved the early months of motherhood as she celebrated Mother's Day in May.
“Happy Mother's Day to all my strong beautiful mothers," she captioned her Instagram post. “You are the light and love of my life baby Snow. Thank you for existing."
Sahara Ray/Instagram
The Sweetest Friends
Sabrina Zada paid tribute to her friend. Referring to Taylor Swift's 2022 song, she wrote on Instagram that Ray was "bigger than the whole sky."
"Still will always be," she continued. "I don't know what to do anymore. None of this makes sense without you. Selfishly, I just assumed you'd be here because why wouldn't somebody as beautiful, kind, funny, and interesting as you be here anymore. I'm very confused. I miss you. Please text me back and say it's a moment and nothing more."
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