Model Presley Gerber, son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and entrepreneur Rande Gerber, has died aged 27 in a suspected overdose at a Santa Monica rehab facility.
Emergency services responded to a report of a possible overdose at a residential treatment center in the 1000 block of Berkeley Street at approximately 9.35am on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Responding paramedics pronounced Gerber dead at the scene at 9.45am, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Detectives from the Santa Monica Police Department are investigating the death as a suspected overdose, with a spokesperson confirming there is no indication of foul play at this time. Dispatch recordings obtained by People showed the initial call went out as a cardiac arrest at the unnamed facility.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner completed an autopsy on Monday morning and made Gerber's body ready for release, though an official cause of death has not yet been determined. According to TMZ, Gerber had checked into the facility on Saturday evening, just hours before his death, and was staying in a separate house on the grounds with roommates.
A spokesman for Cindy Crawford released a statement asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time. Representatives for the Gerber family did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Mail.
Santa Monica facility death investigation
Gerber had been open with the public about his decade-long battle with drug addiction, panic attacks, and severe mental health struggles. In March 2026, he posted on social media about undergoing a pre-ibogaine flood dose treatment at the Beond Ibogaine clinic in Cancun, Mexico.
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance derived from an African shrub that is used in specialized clinics to reduce drug withdrawal symptoms and induce a profound reset. The substance is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States, making it illegal, though it is permitted on prescription or legal in countries including Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, where ten-day treatment programs at clinics like Beond start at $12,500.
Before undergoing the treatment, Gerber admitted in a video caption that he was absolutely terrified of facing the procedure. He wrote that his mantras were to love himself and that this had to be the last time for this reason, adding that while letting go of control did not come easily, he trusted that something bigger than him was guiding it.
Gerber expressed gratitude to the clinic team and noted that he had made close friends during his stay, writing that he prayed it would be the final time he needed to return. The clinic responded to his post by praising his honesty, courage, and heart in sharing his journey publicly.
Public figures such as singer Melissa Etheridge, who lost her 21-year-old son Beckett to a fentanyl overdose in 2020, and former professional basketball player Lamar Odom have previously endorsed ibogaine treatments. The clinic's website explains that indigenous African populations have used raw ibogaine root bark for centuries for spiritual and healing properties, while global medical facilities have administered it over the past 30 years to treat drug dependence.
Following his post about starting the treatment, Gerber received widespread support from his immediate family. Crawford commented that her son was a warrior who had walked through fire to find himself, while his sister Kaia Gerber expressed immense pride, and his father Rande Gerber praised his courage in facing hard struggles.
Medication struggles and medical advice
In November 2025, Gerber announced he was taking a step back from social media to focus on his mental health. The following month, he launched a series of Mental Health Mondays videos on Instagram, where he candidly discussed his reliance on medications prescribed for night terrors and panic attacks.
Gerber shared that his medication usage fluctuated significantly depending on recent personal losses and ongoing life events. He acknowledged that his panic attacks had become really, really bad and confessed in one video that he no longer knew precisely how much of one medication he had been taking.
He also voiced frustration with the medical care he received, disclosing that he had consulted 15 different psychiatrists throughout his life. Gerber criticized doctors for offering an overwhelming selection of up to 20 medications with instructions to take them as needed, rather than providing precise, structured direction on daily dosages.
Despite his medical concerns, Gerber noted that he hoped a combination of personal research, medical expertise, and faith would eventually resolve his health struggles. In July 2025, he reflected on his upbringing as an active child involved in swimming, surfing, and water polo, explaining that his mental health suffered when work caused physical activity to drop out of his routine for ten years.
Family impact and fashion career
Just weeks prior to Gerber's death, his 25-year-old sister, model Kaia Gerber, spoke to Vogue about how her brother's long-standing struggles had affected their family. She admitted that the ongoing emotional turmoil had effectively leveled everyone in the household.
Kaia revealed that witnessing her brother's severe problems caused her to adopt the role of the easy child who avoided asking for help to prevent overwhelming their parents. However, she praised her brother's willingness to speak openly about his struggles, calling his transparency a refreshing contrast to their parents' traditionally private approach to family matters.
Presley Gerber began modeling at age 15 and was signed to IMG Models, appearing in major promotional campaigns for fashion labels such as Dolce & Gabbana and Calvin Klein. In 2018, he starred alongside his mother in a Pepsi commercial, though his early career was also marked by personal struggles, including a 2019 arrest for driving under the influence.
In May 2026, Gerber posted a heartfelt tribute to his father on social media alongside a photograph of the pair paddle boarding together. He described Rande Gerber as the best father in the world who had never given up on him during dark periods, prompting his father to reply that he was honored to stand by his son through life's ups and downs.
During an appearance on the Studio 22 podcast in 2023, Gerber described mental health as a 24/7 job and referred to it as the ultimate pandemic. He explained that his primary goal in sharing his story was to help others facing depression and addiction, hoping that by making mistakes himself, he could prevent others from repeating them.
