Before Presley Gerber‘s tragic death, he’d built a successful career ruling the runways. However, he’d wanted to be different kind of model—a role model through his mental health advocacy work.
“For me and having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that,” the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman RandeGerber said on a 2023 episode of the Studio 22 podcast, “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.”
It was a journey Presley navigated for years before he died at a rehab facility Sept. 20 at age 27, per records from the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner.
“It’s a 24/7 job, and there’s so much to it,” he’d continued on the podcast. “That’s really what I want to do is help people—help people, whether you’re depressed, you’re struggling with something that is having a negative effect on your body. I mean, it could be anything, and there’s no judgment. I’ve seen a lot of stuff, and I’ve learned a lot of things, and 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.”
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Cindy Crawford Made This Wish for Presley Gerber’s Future in Interview Published Days Before His Death
According to the Santa Monica Police Department, officers responded to a call of a possible overdose on Sept. 20 and, upon their arrival, found a deceased male who was later identified as Presley.
“SMPD detectives are investigating the death as a suspected overdose,” the police said in a statement to E! News. “At this time, there is no indication of foul play. The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.”
Presley’s last public appearance was at the We Are ENOUGH x At his side. His family—which also includes sister Kaia Gerber—said in a statement to E! News that they are “asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
But just months before his passing, Kaia made rare comments about her family life—detailing her experience navigating her brother’s battle with addiction.
“When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” the Bottoms actress told the Vogue in a piece published Aug. 11. “I think that’s also why I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help. Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needing.”
And she expressed how proud she was of Presley for speaking out about what he was going through and seeking help.
“My parents for most of our lives were very, very private and didn’t share anything—and now we have this absolute teacher, my brother, who says, ‘I’m gonna be very human for everyone,'” Kaia added. “There’s only so much you can hide from the world. And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you’re ashamed of them.”
Through his Mental Health Monday series on social media, Presley spoke openly about his mental health journey. In December, for instance, he discussed the medications he was taking, including opiates, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, blood pressure medication for night terrors and ketamine drips.
“All these doctors say a lot of different things, so it’s kind of scary,” he said in the since-deleted Instagram video reshared by Page Six. “Hopefully between my research and their research and the world and God, we can f–king figure this out.”
And he’d expressed his desire for more guidance from his medical team.
“It sucks,” he added, “because I don’t have as much direction as I would like to have.”
And while Presley had opened up about feeling misunderstood—at onegetting the word tattooed on his face before having it removed—he was also proud of how far he’d come in areas of his life, including his drinking after having beencharged with a DUI in 2019.
“I haven’t had alcohol in a couple of months, which is dope,” he said. “That is no longer serving me.”
Still, the road wasn’t easy. And just months before his passing, Presley shared a video from a moment “pre Ibogaine flood dose.” According to Stanford Medicine, ibogaine has in some cases been used to treat addiction.
“I was absolutely terrified,” he wrote on Instagram in March, “and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this (helps to not go into the situations you do that get ya there but that’s life sometimes.)”
Noting he was focusing on self-love and this being “the last time for this reason,” Presley was optimistic for the future.
“Letting go of control didn’t come easy, but I trusted there was something bigger than me guiding it,” he added. “I knew why I was there. I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself….We shall see….Praying it’s the last time I have to come back.”
And his family rooted for his health and happiness. “You are a warrior!” Cindy commented. “Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!”
Added Kaia, “That’s my brother I am so damn proud.”
To look back at Presley’s life in pictures, read on.
Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
