Presley Walker Gerber, the 27-year-old son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, died Sept. 20 while staying at a rehabilitation facility, according to records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the death as a suspected overdose.
The medical examiner’s office has listed the cause of death as “deferred.” A spokesperson told Fox News Digital that “the investigation is still ongoing and there is limited information available.”
A representative for the family said, “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
Family Pays Tribute
Cindy Crawford posted a photo of her son on Instagram with the dates “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.”
Crawford said the family was grateful for the public response since the loss.
“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.”
Kaia Gerber, Presley’s younger sister, wrote her own tribute, calling him her “ultimate teacher,” “best buddy” and “great protector.”
“I don’t have the words. And maybe the tiny mercy is that we didn’t need them all along. Words fail and words subtract and words summarize and words always lack truth.”
She recalled their childhood and his habit of going first, even into fear.
“i got scared before getting my ears pierced, so you went first. you always went first. but when i held the earring they took from your body, all i could think was: that belongs to you. and i really f—ing wish you hadn’t gone first this time.”
Kaia closed with a blunt reckoning with her loss.
“My darling brother. I do adore you. I love my brother. My brother is dead. And this party sucks so bad without you, prez.”
A Public Struggle With Addiction
Gerber had spoken openly for years about depression, panic attacks and addiction, and about the uneven path of treatment. In March, he posted video of himself preparing for an “ibogaine flood dose” at a wellness clinic in Cancún, Mexico — a psychedelic treatment derived from the Tabernanthe iboga shrub that researchers at Stanford Medicine say has drawn interest for treating opioid and cocaine addiction. The substance is legal in some countries but not in the United States.
“Quiet moment before everything changed. I was absolutely terrified, and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this.”
Gerber wrote that he had to trust “there was something bigger than me guiding it,” and that facing what he’d been running from helped him start “finding my way back to myself.” He said he was “praying it’s the last time” he would need treatment.
On a 2023 episode of the “Studio 22” podcast, Gerber described mental health as a constant presence in his life.
“[Mental health] is an issue. It is such a big part of my life. It’s a 24/7 job, and there’s so much to it.”
He said he hoped sharing his experience could spare others the same mistakes.
“I’ve seen a lot of stuff, and I’ve learned a lot of things. What I hope I can do is have made the mistakes for some other people, so they don’t have to make the same mistakes that I made.”
