Presley Gerber dies aged 27 as family asks for privacy

What happened

Presley Gerber, whose modelling career began in his teens before he became a public voice on his experience of addiction and depression, has died aged 27. He was the eldest child of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, and the older brother of model Kaia Gerber.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner recorded his death at a rehabilitation facility on Sunday 20 September. The cause of death has not been disclosed. His history of drug use and prescription medication dependency does not establish what caused his death.

Allie Jenkins, a representative for his parents, confirmed the death and conveyed the family's request for privacy as they grieve. Gerber had discussed his health over several years through interviews and social media, including accounts of panic attacks, depression and efforts towards recovery.

His death comes in the same month that Kaia spoke publicly about the effect of his addiction on their family. Her interview in the September 2026 edition of American Vogue described difficulties extending over roughly a decade, reaching back into her brother's adolescence.

The background

Born in California in 1999, Gerber entered an industry in which his mother was already internationally recognised. He signed with IMG Models at 15, beginning professional work while still a teenager rather than waiting until adulthood to pursue a fashion career.

His first runway appearance came in 2016, when he walked in Moschino's Resort show in Los Angeles at the age of 16. His later work included Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Celine, Calvin Klein and Dolce & Gabbana, taking him across a range of major fashion labels.

In 2018, he appeared alongside Crawford in a Pepsi advertisement. That campaign brought mother and son together professionally, while his sister also established herself as a model. His work therefore developed both independently and through the family's longstanding connection with fashion.

His father built a career in nightlife and business. Rande Gerber co-founded the Casamigos tequila brand with actor George Clooney, giving the family another prominent connection outside modelling and the wider fashion industry.

In 2019, Presley Gerber was arrested for driving under the influence. He subsequently received three years' probation and was required to undertake a programme for drink-driving offenders and complete two days of community service.

He later described how starting work had disrupted activities that had been important to him as a child. In a July 2025 account of efforts to build healthier habits, he recalled regularly swimming, surfing and playing water polo when he was younger.

Gerber linked the loss of those sporting routines to a deterioration in his wellbeing. He said it had taken about 10 years to recognise the importance of bringing physical activity back into his life, presenting that change as part of his own experience rather than a universal answer to mental illness.

In November 2025, he explained that he had reduced his social media activity to concentrate on his mental health. The following month, he shared a more detailed account of his circumstances in a video discussing medication and symptoms.

That December post, which was later deleted, described treatment for panic attacks and night terrors. Gerber said his medication use had varied with events in his life and referred to several forms of recent loss, without identifying them.

He also described difficulty navigating medical advice and uncertainty about his own medication use. Those disclosures formed part of a series of Instagram videos focused on mental health, through which he brought aspects of his recovery into public view.

What people are saying

The family's response, delivered through Jenkins, centred on the pain of their bereavement and their wish to be allowed privacy. She spoke on behalf of Crawford and Rande Gerber rather than providing a medical explanation for their son's death.

Kaia's Vogue interview explored a different aspect of the family's experience: the pressure she felt to minimise her own needs while her brother was struggling. She described adopting the role of the less demanding child and becoming reluctant to seek help herself.

Her account showed how she understood her own behaviour in relation to her brother's illness. She felt that having both children needing support would place too much strain on the family, a concern that shaped what she asked of those around her.

Crawford had publicly expressed affection and pride in her son earlier in the summer. On 3 July, she posted a photograph of him as a young boy and wrote about holding on to those childhood memories while recognising the adult he had become.

Gerber's own explanation for discussing his health was set out in a 2023 appearance on the Studio 22 podcast. He described managing his mental health as a continuous responsibility and said his experience included depression and other related difficulties.

He wanted those conversations to help people facing problems of their own, even if only a small number benefited. His emphasis was on offering support without judgement, including to people whose struggles were affecting their physical health as well as their emotional wellbeing.

What happens next

Determining the cause of a death is separate from recording where and when it occurred. A medical examiner's work can involve reviewing medical history, examining the body and considering laboratory findings; the precise combination depends on the circumstances of each case.

A cause of death identifies the disease or injury responsible. It is distinct from the manner of death, which classifies the circumstances. Neither a person's presence in rehabilitation nor their previous discussion of medication is, by itself, a medical finding about the death.

Rehabilitation is also a broad description of a treatment setting, not a diagnosis. Addiction care can involve medical supervision, psychological treatment and longer-term support, with the approach depending on the substance involved and the person's health and circumstances.

For people receiving treatment, decisions about prescribed medication belong within their own clinical care. Some medicines can cause withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly, making advice from a prescriber or pharmacist important before changing how they are taken.

Why this matters

For UK readers affected by drug dependence or mental health difficulties, a GP can be a starting point for assessment and help accessing treatment. NHS information also explains routes into local drug treatment services, including services that accept people without a GP referral.

Relatives and friends can need support in their own right, including when they are not the person receiving treatment. Samaritans offers free listening support on 116 123 across the UK and Ireland; anyone facing an immediate threat to life should call 999.