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Cindy Crawford joined her husband Rande Gerber and daughter Kaia Gerber in a statement released on Instagram that described the loss of Presley Gerber as one that has left the family beyond heartbroken. The tribute, posted on October 18 beside a black-and-white image of Presley, noted that the family felt blessed to have had him in their lives for 27 years. “We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother,” the statement read. “We feel so blessed to have had Presley in our lives for 27 years. He is a sweet, beautiful soul who loved and is loved, now and forever. We are so proud of how he showed up in the world, with kindness and vulnerability. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from so many who know and love our family and even strangers who feel our pain. Til we meet again our sweet boy. We love you forever, Mom, Dad and Kaia.” According to multiple outlets that reviewed the post, the family expressed pride in Presley’s approach to the world.
Presley Gerber died on September 20 at a rehabilitation facility in Santa Monica, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed. The Santa Monica Police Department responded to a report of a possible overdose that morning on Berkeley Street and found an adult male deceased upon arrival, a department release stated. Officers found no indication of foul play, the statement added. The medical examiner’s office listed the case as pending further investigation with the cause of death deferred after an autopsy, according to records obtained by CNN and People magazine. A representative for the family initially requested privacy in the immediate aftermath of the death.
Gerber had followed his mother and sister into modeling, making his runway debut for Moschino at age 16 after signing with IMG Models as a teenager, a fact noted across coverage from the BBC to The New York Times. He appeared in campaigns for brands including Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein while also gracing covers of GQ and T: The New York Times Style Magazine. Born in 1999 in California to Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, Presley grew up in the public eye as part of one of fashion’s prominent families, Wikipedia and several outlets reported. His younger sister Kaia, now 25, has established her own career as a model and actress.
In recent years Presley spoke openly about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health, including in a video posted last December that detailed his use of prescription medications for panic attacks, according to CNN. A New York Times profile highlighted that he had battled these issues for over a decade, with multiple stays in rehabilitation programs beginning in his late teens. He had explored alternative treatments such as ibogaine in Mexico earlier in 2026 and participated in a mental-health event in Malibu in June where he discussed the pressures of growing up in the spotlight, the newspaper and Wikipedia entries on his life noted. Those accounts described a turning point around age 23 after which he felt more free discussing his experiences.
Kaia Gerber shared her own tribute on the same day as the family statement, including a video of the siblings dancing as children, a photograph by the ocean and a four-page letter addressed to “prez,” People and Entertainment Weekly reported. “My darling brother, I do adore you,” she wrote in the post. “I love my brother. My brother is dead. And this party sucks so bad without you, prez.” The Independent noted that the letter formed part of a broader outpouring that reflected on their close relationship. Family members and friends have continued to process the loss in the weeks since September 20 while authorities complete additional toxicology and related studies that could take several months, the medical examiner has indicated.
The death has drawn attention to challenges within the modeling industry and broader discussions around mental health support for young people in high-pressure environments, a theme echoed in coverage by USA Today and Fox News. Presley had been vocal about his dissatisfaction with traditional medication and rehab approaches at times, mentioning the use of substances like ketamine and kratom to manage withdrawal in past accounts reviewed by The New York Times. No further details on the ongoing investigation have been released by the Santa Monica Police Department as of October 18.
