Presley Gerber was fighting 'demons' before his death
What's the story
Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and nightlife mogul Rande Gerber, was reportedly battling inner demons before his untimely demise at 27. A source who knew him personally revealed to Page Six that they had "deep, very open talks" while he worked at Cafe Habana in Malibu during the COVID-19 pandemic. The source described Gerber as a "great kid" but troubled by issues beyond being from a famous family.
Source's statement
'It's tough because you never know...'
The source said, "He had demons. Not all related to being a celebrity kid."
"It's tough because you never know if someone wants to be your friend or wants something."
Another source, who used to work with Rande, fondly remembered the father and family.
They said, "[Rande] was the nicest dude. I don't think anyone would have a bad thing to say about them."
Tragic end
Gerber died at a luxury rehab facility
Gerber died on September 20 at Resolutions Living's $7.7 million rehab facility in Santa Monica, California, which offers treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues.
A 911 call for "cardiac arrest" and "overdose" was made from the scene, Page Six reported.
Despite being under extensive care, Gerber died of an overdose.
The model had previously spoken about his battle with substance abuse.
Family grief
Kaia Gerber is taking her brother's death 'very, very hard'
The Gerber family is still grappling with Gerber's sudden demise.
A source told the outlet that his 25-year-old model sister, Kaia Gerber, has been taking the loss "very, very hard."
"Kaia and Presley were insanely close," the source said.
Another source revealed that Crawford is "inconsolable" and "absolutely devastated."
The family has requested privacy during this difficult time.
Ongoing struggle
Gerber's battle with substance abuse
In the months leading up to his death, Gerber opened up about his struggles with substance abuse.
He had shared a "cocktail" of pills he was taking as part of his addiction treatment plan.
In 2024, he revealed on Instagram Stories that he was dealing with a "current, very high opioid addiction."
He also started filming weekly Instagram videos for a "Mental Health Mondays" series that year.