The entertainment and modeling industries are mourning the loss of 27-year-old Presley Gerber, son of legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford and prominent businessman Rande Gerber, who died on September 20 at a California rehabilitation facility. Law enforcement sources have confirmed his death is being investigated as a suspected drug overdose, with officials ruling out foul play and awaiting additional toxicology testing to confirm the official cause.
In a heartbreaking public tribute posted to Instagram over the weekend, Cindy Crawford shared that her entire family is “beyond heartbroken” following the passing of her eldest child. Accompanied by a tender black-and-white portrait of Presley, Crawford remembered him as a gentle, compassionate person who navigated the world with radical openness and warmth. “He is a sweet, beautiful soul who loved and is loved, now and forever,” she wrote. “We are so proud of how he showed up in the world, with kindness and vulnerability. We feel so blessed to have had Presley in our lives for 27 years.”
Closing the tribute with a message from the entire immediate family, Crawford added, “Til we meet again our sweet boy. We love you forever, Mom, Dad and Kaia,” paired with an angel wings emoji. The post also included Presley’s birth and death dates, and expressed gratitude for the widespread support the family has received from both close contacts and strangers sharing their grief.
Presley Gerber followed in his mother’s modeling footsteps, alongside his younger sister Kaia Gerber, who has also become a globally recognized fashion figure. Presley made his high-profile runway debut at just 16 years old, walking for iconic Italian fashion house Moschino, and went on to build a career in the industry over the following decade.
Kaia Gerber also shared an intimate, devastating tribute to her older brother over the weekend, compiling childhood memories, personal photos, and a hand-typed four-page letter addressed to her brother, whom she nicknamed “prez”. The post featured a video of the pair dancing together as small children and a candid photo of them standing side-by-side along a coastline. In the letter, Kaia recalled small, formative moments they shared – including Presley volunteering to go first when she was scared to get her ears pierced. She opened up about the pain of learning to live without her brother, writing, “But when I held the earring they took from your body, all I could think was: That belongs to you. I am learning how to love you when I cannot see you. How to tell you something without picking up my phone to call you. How to be your sister in a world that I can’t reach for you in.”
In the years leading up to his death, Presley spoke openly about his long struggles with mental health and substance use. He regularly used his own Instagram platform to launch what he called “Mental Health Mondays,” sharing personal videos to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental illness.
Presley’s father Rande Gerber is a well-known hospitality and business figure, best known as the co-founder of the popular Casamigos tequila brand alongside Hollywood star George Clooney.
Officially, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has listed Gerber’s case as pending, noting that additional testing and investigation are required to finalize the cause of death. The Santa Monica Police Department has repeatedly stated that there is no evidence to suggest any outside foul play contributed to his death.
For anyone affected by issues of substance use or mental health crisis referenced in this reporting, support resources are available via BBC Action Line, and global support can be accessed through Befrienders Worldwide.