Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber have spoken publicly for the first time since the death of their son, Presley Gerber.
Presley, 27, died after suffering cardiac arrest on September 20 while staying at Resolutions Living, a rehabilitation facility in Santa Monica. His death is being investigated as a suspected overdose.
In a joint statement posted to Instagram, the grieving couple said they were “beyond heartbroken” by the loss.
Crawford and Gerber also have a daughter, 25-year-old model Kaia Gerber.
On Sunday, Crawford shared a black-and-white portrait of her son alongside an emotional tribute. “Presley Walker Gerber July 2, 1999-September 20, 2026. We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother,” she wrote. “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.”
She continued: “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.”
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber shared Presley and their daughter Kaia, 25; the family of four was photographed at a wedding in 2024
Presley died after suffering cardiac arrest on September 20 while staying at the Santa Monica rehabilitation facility Resolutions Living. His death is being treated as a suspected overdose.
Presley entered Resolutions Living one day before he was found unresponsive on September 20, according to reports.
Video obtained by TMZ from the evening before his death showed the model taking viewers on a solo tour of the sober-living residence. He wore a white undershirt that revealed his tattoos, a silver chain and black-framed glasses.
In the footage, recorded at around 10 p.m., Presley appeared to be under the influence, looking into the camera with glazed eyes. He then moved through a bedroom and several other parts of the home while filming.
Sources told TMZ that Presley had “got high” on Saturday afternoon and became worried that he was losing control. His sober coach reportedly contacted the facility to ask whether Presley could stay there, explaining that he was under the influence of drugs. The facility’s admissions officer allegedly agreed to accept him, according to the outlet.
The coach was said to have planned to take Presley to another rehabilitation center on the following Monday, but sought a temporary weekend placement in the meantime. Insiders claimed Presley was left at Resolutions Living and continued using drugs while there.
A death certificate obtained by TMZ states that Presley’s remains were cremated several days after his death at Rose Family Funeral Home. Crawford and Gerber are reportedly keeping his ashes at home.
The medical examiner’s toxicology report is expected to determine whether any substances contributed to Presley’s death.
The news outlet previously obtained audio from the 911 dispatch call placed from the Santa Monica facility. An automated voice reportedly identified the emergency first as “cardiac arrest” and later as “overdose.”
The initial emergency call was made at 9:35 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, concerning a cardiac arrest. Three minutes later, the incident was reclassified as an “overdose,” before its priority was raised again at 9:40 a.m.
Like his sister, Presley began modeling at a young age. Before his death, he had also spoken openly about battling drug addiction and mental health challenges for roughly a decade.
In November, Presley told followers that he was taking a break from social media so he could “take care of my own mental health for a bit.”
A month later, he discussed his personal struggles in a candid video and began posting “Mental Health Mondays” clips on Instagram. In one video, Presley spoke about the medication he used for “night terrors” and “panic attacks,” explaining that his medication use had fluctuated depending on what was happening in his life.
Earlier this year, he posted about having a ‘Pre-ibogaine flood dose’ at a Mexican treatment clinic, a single, high-dose administration of the naturally occurring psychoactive substance ibogaine that is reported to help with withdrawal symptoms. The high dose is designed to induce a profound ‘reset.’
Presley’s parents and his sister Kaia praised him for his ‘courage’ in response to his post about starting the treatment in March.
Crawford commented: ‘You are a warrior! Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!’ while Kaia added: ‘That’s my brother I am so damn proud.’
And Kaia wrote: ‘I’m so proud of you and your courage. Facing what’s hard takes real strength and watching you find your way back to yourself is everything. I love you so much.’
On Sunday, Crawford shared a black and white photo of her only son with the caption: ‘Presley Walker Gerber July 2, 1999-September 20, 2026. We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother’
‘Kaia is still struggling with the death of her brother as they were extremely close,’ a source said
Presley had been open about his decade-long struggle with drug addiction and mental health problems before his death. Source: Instagram/@presleygerber
Presley’s death came just weeks after Kaia opened up about the enormous toll her brother’s struggles had taken on their famous family.
‘When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,’ Kaia told Vogue.
But for all the concerns for Kaia, our source said: ‘Kaia has not had it easy in her 25 years, but she will hang in there, she is a very strong person.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to representatives for Kaia and Crawford for comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, you can also visit 988lifeline.org. You can also call, text or chat with a counselor by texting 988.
