Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber have spoken publicly for the first time since the death of their son, Presley Gerber.
Presley died at 27 after suffering cardiac arrest on September 20 while staying at the Santa Monica rehabilitation facility Resolutions Living. His death is being investigated as a suspected overdose.
In a joint statement shared on Instagram, the grieving parents said they were “beyond heartbroken” by the loss.
Crawford and Gerber also share a daughter, 25-year-old model Kaia Gerber.
On Sunday, Crawford posted a black-and-white photograph of her only son alongside the message: “Presley Walker Gerber July 2, 1999-September 20, 2026. We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother. 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.”
Crawford and husband Rande Gerber share Presley and their 25-year-old daughter, Kaia; the family of four is pictured at a wedding in 2024
Presley died after suffering cardiac arrest on September 20 while staying at the Santa Monica rehabilitation facility Resolutions Living; a suspected overdose is being investigated
Presley had entered Resolutions Living in Santa Monica the day before he was found dead on September 20.
Video obtained by TMZ from the night before his death showed the model giving a solo tour of the sober-living home. He wore a white undershirt that revealed his prominent tattoos, along with a silver chain necklace and black eyeglasses.
In the footage, recorded at around 10 p.m., Presley appeared to be under the influence and looked into the camera with noticeably glazed eyes. He also filmed a bedroom and several other parts of the residence.
Insiders told TMZ that Presley had reportedly “got high” on Saturday afternoon and became worried that he was losing control. His sober coach allegedly contacted the facility to ask whether he could bring Presley there, making clear that he was high on drugs. The facility’s admissions officer reportedly agreed, according to the outlet.
According to the sources, the sober coach intended to take Presley to a rehabilitation center the following Monday but needed a temporary placement for the weekend. He subsequently left Presley at Resolutions Living. The insiders claimed Presley continued using drugs inside the sober home.
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 expected to keep their son’s ashes at home.
The Medical Examiner’s toxicology report will provide final confirmation of whether any substances contributed to Presley’s death.
The Daily Mail previously obtained audio from the 911 emergency dispatch call placed from the Santa Monica rehabilitation facility. An automated voice can be heard identifying the incident first as “cardiac arrest” and then as “overdose.”
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On Sunday, Crawford shared a black-and-white photograph 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”
The initial emergency call was made at 9:35 a.m. on Sunday, September 20, for a cardiac arrest. Three minutes later, the classification was changed to “overdose,” before the priority was raised again at 9:40 a.m. as the call was “upgraded.”
Like his sister, Presley began modeling at a young age. Before his death, he had spoken openly about a decade-long battle with drug addiction and mental health issues.
Last November, Presley said he had stepped away from social media temporarily to “take care of my own mental health for a bit.”
One month later, he opened up about his personal life in a candid social media video and started sharing ‘Mental Health Mondays’ videos on his Instagram. In one, he listed the medication he takes for ‘night terrors’ and ‘panic attacks,’ saying his use of medication had been ‘fluctuating up and down depending on what’s been going on in my 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.’
Above, Kaia and Presley Gerber in May 2017
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.’
The Daily Mail 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.