Model Nyima Ward, the 27-year-old son of supermodel and animal activist Trish Goff and Aaron Ward, has passed away.
Ward passed away on May 29, as noted in his obituary. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Born Nyima Lee Ward on January 2, 1997, in New York City, his Tibetan first name means “the Sun.” Ward is remembered as someone who “lived fiercely, loved deeply, and made memories with the kind of fervor that only a young man who never met a stranger could do.”
On Monday, June 3, makeup artist Aaron de Mey announced Nyima’s passing with a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
“My dearest Nyima 🫅🏻 Rest in peace. 🕊️” de Mey’ wrote. “I absolutely adore you…always an adventure, always fun, always sensitive, always kind. Sending deepest love to your Mom, Dad and your many friends and family.”
The makeup artist’s post featured childhood photos of Nyima with his parents, alongside a recent image showcasing the model’s signature long hair. Numerous fashion industry icons, including photographers Inez and Vinoodh and hairstylists Harry Josh and Peter Butler, expressed their condolences in the comments.
Trish Goff Encouraged Her Son Nyima Ward to Enter the Fashion World
Ward embarked on his modeling career after turning 18, working with prominent brands like Anna Sui and Vivienne Tam. His mother and her partner, DNA Models owner David Bonnouvrier, were instrumental in encouraging him to pursue modeling. Notably, Ward’s father, Aaron Ward, was also a model.
“They’ve just been trying to get me to sign forever and I was always like, “Nah, nah.” And then I turned 18 and I was like, “Might as well try it,'” Nyima told W in 2017.
Ward, an avid traveler, animal enthusiast, and water lover, made his runway debut at Sui’s fashion show in February 2015. 23 years earlier, Ward’s mother had also graced Sui’s runway.
“We shot for American Vogue when I was 16 or 15,” Nyima told W. “And we got a cool shot. She was in a really crazy dress and I was in a Ralph Lauren suit and we were both floating in the air. It was cool. We’ve shot a bunch of times when I was a kid, too.”
However, Nyima Ward didn’t plan to follow too closely in his mother’s footsteps.
“It’s less a career and more just something on the side,” he admitted to W. “I know a lot of the people in the industry so lots of time I’ll get people that I knew growing up like, ‘Oh, can I shoot you?’ Or something like that. Or my agents are like, ‘Oh, this would be really cool for you to do.’ And might as well. I don’t really see it as a long-term career, definitely not.”
Ward is survived by his parents.