Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber have spoken publicly for the first time since the death of their 27-year-old son, Presley Gerber, who was found dead at a rehabilitation facility in Los Angeles.
Police are investigating the death as a suspected drug overdose. Presley had also spoken publicly about longstanding mental health difficulties and addiction.
The family initially asked for privacy after his death on September 20. Almost a month later, Crawford and Gerber paid tribute alongside their daughter, model and actress Kaia Gerber.
“We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother,” the couple said in a joint statement.
“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.”
The couple thanked those who had offered their support, including people who did not know the family personally.
“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,” they said.
“Til we meet again our sweet boy. We love you forever, Mom, Dad and Kaia.”
Kaia Gerber described the loss as too profound for words, writing that she had loved being Presley’s sister and was struggling with the loss of the love she had for him.
She remembered him as an “inherently good” person who would face frightening situations first to help her feel brave. Recalling having her ears pierced as a child, she wrote: “You always went first.”
“I really f***ing wish you hadn’t gone first this time,” she said.
Kaia added that, despite knowing how the relationship ended, she would choose the experience of having Presley as her brother again.
“My best buddy, my great protector, the hardest I’ve ever laughed and the one true love of my life — you lit all of my candles and took all of my monsters away,” she wrote.
Friends of the family also offered their condolences. Amelia Gray wrote that Presley’s “legacy will live on”, while actor Lisa Rinna said: “We love you, we love Presley, we love your family.”
Presley Gerber’s mental health battle
Presley had previously described managing his mental health as a “24/7 job”. Speaking on the Studio 22 podcast in 2023, he said he hoped his experiences could help others dealing with depression and related difficulties.
“I think that whether I help one person or a hundred people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that’s all I need to do,” he said. “That’s really what I want to do, help people.”
He later shared videos under the title “Mental Health Mondays”, discussing recovery circles and efforts to return to healthy habits.
One of his final Instagram posts showed him at a Los Angeles rehabilitation facility undergoing psychedelic drug treatment in March. He wrote that he had been “absolutely terrified” and hoped it would be the last time he needed to return.
