Tragedy struck Cindy Crawford’s family last night (Sunday): Presley Gerber, her son with Rande Gerber and the brother of Kaia Gerber (25), died at the age of 27 while receiving treatment at a rehabilitation facility.
The cause of death remains unknown. The family confirmed his death and said: “The family asks for privacy during this difficult and painful time.”
Presley had a long history of dependence on prescription medication, mental health crises and stays at mental health facilities.
Just a month ago, his sister, model and actress Kaia Gerber (“The Shards”), spoke about him in an interview with Vogue. “I think he’s the reason I started defining myself as ‘the easy child,’ and I never wanted to ask for help. Because it felt like too much to have two children who needed help,” she said.
In recent years, Presley frequently shared his struggles and what he was going through with his followers. Last December, he said he was taking several types of medication to cope with anxiety and panic attacks, with dosages varying depending on how he was feeling.
Presley and Kaia
(Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
He described experiencing “a lot of loss in a lot of different forms” and said he takes Xanax when he feels that everything around him is “really, really bad,” and takes “a little Valium in the morning, depending on how I feel.”
“To be honest, I don’t even know anymore if it’s a little or a lot — because who the hell knows anything at this point,” he added.
He also spoke about the confusion and fear surrounding his use of medication and about receiving different answers from different doctors. “Every doctor tells me something different, and it’s pretty scary.”
He described his concerns about anti-anxiety medication, which, ironically, left him dependent on it and created further anxiety: “The things that scare you the most are the things you have to take… and if you don’t take them, something bad will happen. There’s a wide spectrum of severity when it comes to withdrawal symptoms.”
Despite having seen 15 psychiatrists, Presley said he still did not have “as clear a direction as I would like to have.”
“I want someone to tell me: ‘Take this three times a day.’ But every psychiatrist I’ve ever seen has told me: ‘Here are 20 medications. Take this one if you feel this way or that way.’ And I’m like: No! Don’t give me that much freedom. I need guidance.”
Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and Presley Gerber on the red carpet, 2024
(Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
On another post in which Presley opened up about his struggles, his family responded with messages of support. “That’s my brother I am so damn proud,” Kaia wrote.
His mother, Cindy, 60, wrote: “You are a warrior! Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!”
His father, Rande, 64, 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.”