A tribute posted to Cindy Crawford's Instagram account marked the first time she and Rande Gerber had spoken publicly about the passing of their son Presley Gerber. Kaia Gerber, who is Presley's sister, added her name to the statement and followed up with a separate post through her own account.
On 20 September, Presley — who had built a public profile around modelling and mental health advocacy by the age of 27 — passed away at a rehabilitation facility. Investigators have not yet established a formal cause of death, though a possible overdose is among the circumstances under review, and those closest to the deceased have spoken of a loss that left them without adequate words.
The statement, released early Monday, conveyed that Presley had been part of the family for 27 years, describing him as a gentle presence who had given and received love that would endure beyond his time with them. People who were close to him describe a man who treated others with kindness while being candid about the difficulties he faced in his own life.
The family conveyed appreciation for the broad wave of condolences and solidarity received — both from those personally acquainted with them and from individuals moved to reach out despite having no prior connection. The statement expressed the expectation of meeting again.
Kaia, whose acting work has lately included a role in the Disney+ adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's novel The Shards, shared her own remembrance of her brother through a video of the two of them dancing as small children alongside a photograph of the pair at the beach, writing that she lacked the words to express her grief and that perhaps the quiet consolation was that words had never been necessary between them.
Kaia Gerber reflected in writing that language had proven unable to carry the weight of her grief, and expressed how much the bond of being a sister had meant to her. In her post, she wrote that the affection she held for her brother ran deeper than could ever be fully expressed, and described him as having held a tenacious hold on life from the very first breath.
A 911 audio recording, described as leaked and obtained by a television news outlet, indicated that Presley had suffered cardiac arrest before his death. According to a departmental statement, Presley was found unresponsive at the scene, with detectives from the Santa Monica Police Department treating the death as a possible overdose. No evidence pointing toward criminal activity had emerged at that point.
Responsibility for establishing both the cause and manner of death rests with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. Authorities confirmed the inquiry had not yet been concluded.
Presley had spoken candidly about personal battles with depression and substance use long before taking up advocacy work. A drink-driving charge brought against him in 2019 eventually led to a court-imposed sentence of three years on probation, two days of community service, and completion of a DUI programme. Starting in 2023, he launched an Instagram series under the name Mental Health Mondays, using it as a platform to speak candidly about his own mental wellbeing until the series wrapped up in 2025.
Kaia Gerber's path into modelling took shape during her teenage years, with IMG Models placing her on their roster at the age of 15. In an August interview with a prominent magazine, she spoke about the toll her brother's struggle with addiction had taken on their family, noting that events of that kind tend to bring everyone in a household to the same level of vulnerability — a dynamic she said led her to cast herself as the uncomplicated sibling and to avoid reaching out for support.
She noted that her parents had guarded their private lives closely throughout her childhood, yet her brother had taken a markedly different path — choosing to share his vulnerabilities openly with the world, a stance she described as that of a teacher, and one that reflected his view that a person can only conceal so much from those around them. Researchers note that keeping such matters hidden can leave the person feeling like a burden or source of shame to those close to them.
