Supermodel Cindy Crawford and her family released their first public tribute on Sunday following the death of her son, Presley Gerber, who died last month at a Southern California rehabilitation facility at age 27.
Crawford posted a black-and-white photograph of her late son on Instagram on behalf of herself, her husband Rande Gerber, and their 25-year-old daughter, model and actress Kaia Gerber. The message arrived nearly a month after Presley Gerber died on Sept. 20 in Santa Monica, California, where law enforcement officials continue to investigate the incident as a suspected drug overdose.
“We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother,” the family wrote in the joint social media post. “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.”
The tribute added that the family felt proud of how he navigated the world “with kindness and vulnerability” and expressed appreciation for the support received from both friends and strangers.
Circumstances of Gerber’s death
Emergency responders were dispatched around 9:35 a.m. on Sept. 20 to a sober-living residence on Berkeley Street in Santa Monica, according to statements from local police and emergency dispatch records reported by the Daily Mail and TheWrap. Authorities arrived to find an adult male who had suffered cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner as Presley Gerber.
Law enforcement authorities told reporters there was no indication of foul play involved in the death. The coroner performed an autopsy, but officials have deferred declaring an official cause of death pending the completion of toxicology testing.
According to death certificate records cited by TMZ and The Mirror US, Gerber’s body was cremated on Sept. 25 at the Rose Family Funeral Home in Simi Valley, California, and his remains were returned to his parents’ residence in Malibu.
Public openness regarding addiction
Before his death, Gerber spoke openly on multiple occasions regarding his long-standing battles with substance use disorder, anxiety, and depression. In late 2025, he published social media videos describing the severe mental health challenges he experienced, characterizing his path to recovery as a constant, around-the-clock undertaking.
During an appearance on the “Studio 22” podcast in 2023, he discussed spending extensive time in therapy to address his condition. In March 2026, he posted online about undergoing treatment involving ibogaine at a clinic in Mexico in an effort to manage severe withdrawal symptoms. At the time, his mother, father, and sister publicly lauded his honesty and courage in confronting his illness.
In an interview published in Vogue in August 2026, Kaia Gerber acknowledged that her brother’s public transparency stood in contrast to their parents’ typically private stance on personal matters, adding that witnessing his difficulties deeply affected the entire family.
What remains pending
The definitive cause and manner of Gerber’s death remain undetermined as authorities await final toxicology results from the medical examiner’s office. His family has not publicly announced a date for any memorial service, having previously asked for privacy as they mourn.
Free and confidential assistance for people facing substance use or mental health issues is accessible through the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration hotline at 1-800-662-4357.
