Presley Gerber, the model and son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, died on Sunday, 20 September 2026, at a rehabilitation facility, aged 27. Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records confirmed his death. His cause of death has not been announced, and a post-mortem examination remained pending on Monday.
A March Instagram post about Presley Gerber's treatment has drawn renewed attention since news of his death emerged. Gerber said he was preparing for what he called an 'ibogaine flood dose' in Mexico. He wrote, 'Praying it's the last time I have to come back.'
No public medical evidence has linked that treatment to Gerber's death. The March post documents his recovery efforts, but it does not establish what caused his death.
Presley Gerber Spoke Openly About Mental Health
Gerber had spoken publicly about depression, mental health and other personal difficulties well before his death. He also said he hoped sharing his experiences could help others facing similar struggles.
On 28 February 2023, Gerber appeared on the Studio 22 podcast to discuss modelling, entrepreneurship and mental health. He said helping even one person out of a difficult place would make speaking openly worthwhile.
'Having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that,' Gerber said. He added that helping 'one person or a hundred people' would be enough for him.
Gerber also spoke about learning through his own mistakes.
'I learned from other people's mistakes. Well, I tried to,' he said. 'I like to make them myself and then learn the hard way because then it sticks.'
He later used Instagram to promote 'Mental Health Mondays,' where he discussed mental health and recovery without judgement. Gerber said he hoped his own experiences could prevent somebody else from making the same mistakes.
His public life had begun much earlier. Gerber started modelling as a teenager and signed with IMG Models at 15. He later appeared in fashion work for Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino.
His appearance also attracted considerable scrutiny. In February 2020, Gerber had the word 'MISUNDERSTOOD' tattooed across his right cheek and documented it on Instagram.
'I get a little face tattoo and now people love to hate me,' he later wrote.
By August 2021, the tattoo appeared to be in the process of removal.
Presley Gerber Treatment Post Revisited After His Death
In his March Instagram post, Gerber described undergoing treatment in Mexico and reflected on confronting problems he had previously avoided. The post has since been revisited online, although it should not be treated as evidence about the circumstances surrounding his death.
His family publicly supported him at the time. Crawford called her son a 'warrior' and said she was proud of him. His sister, Kaia Gerber, also wrote that she was 'so damn proud' of her brother.
Kaia, now 25, discussed her brother's struggles in Vogue's September 2026 cover story, published on 11 August. Vogue described Presley's experience as a 'decade-long struggle with drug addiction.'
'When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,' Kaia said.
She explained that the experience contributed to seeing herself as 'the easy one.' Kaia said she avoided asking for help because she felt it would be difficult for her parents to have two children needing support.
Kaia also praised her brother's willingness to be open about his life. Their parents had traditionally kept family matters private, she said, but Presley approached things differently.
'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,' she said.
Kaia, who stars as Susan Reynolds in FX's The Shards, said Presley had chosen to tell the world, 'I'm gonna be very human for everyone.'
Family representative Allie Jenkins confirmed Gerber's death and asked for privacy on behalf of Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and Kaia Gerber during what she called a 'very difficult and painful time.'
Friends have also shared tributes. Paris Hilton said she was 'completely heartbroken' and described Gerber as 'sweet, sensitive, kind and genuine.'
For now, the circumstances surrounding his death remain undetermined. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not announced a cause, leaving Gerber's March treatment post as part of his public account of recovery, not an explanation for why he died.
