Cindy Crawford celebrated her son Presley Gerber’s 27th birthday in July with photographs from his childhood and a message about the man he had become.
“I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, but I’ll always see you as my little boy! Love you,” Crawford wrote in the Instagram tribute on July 2.
Less than three months later, Gerber died on September 20 at age 27. Family representative Allie Jenkins confirmed his death to the Associated Press, while Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records listed his place of death as a rehabilitation facility. A cause of death had not been publicly announced in the initial reports.
Crawford had supported her son publicly at several points during the final years of his life as he discussed addiction, depression and treatment. Their exchanges also included a 2025 mother-son interview in which she described him as sensitive, authentic and brave.
Crawford’s Birthday Post Looked Back at Presley’s Childhood
View this post on Instagram
Crawford’s July tribute included two photographs of Presley when he was younger, pairing the childhood images with her pride in the adult he had become.
Her previous birthday messages had also mixed family memories with observations about his life as an adult. When Presley turned 25 in 2024, Crawford wrote about the way he showed up for his family and friends and said she and Rande Gerber would continue cheering him on.
Presley was Crawford and Rande’s first child, born on July 2, 1999. Kaia Gerber followed in 2001, and both siblings later entered the fashion industry.
Crawford Called Him a ‘Warrior’ After His Treatment in March
View this post on Instagram
Several months before his birthday, Presley shared a detailed account of undergoing ibogaine treatment in Mexico as part of his effort to address substance use.
He described being frightened before the experience and wrote about confronting things he had previously avoided. Presley said he was trying to relinquish control and hoped the treatment could represent a turning point, ending part of the post by saying he was “praying it’s the last time I have to come back.”
Crawford responded directly beneath the post. “You are a warrior! Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!” she wrote.
Kaia also publicly supported her brother, commenting, “that’s my brother I am so damn proud.”
Presley had discussed addiction, depression, panic attacks and mental health treatment before the March post. Rather than presenting those subjects as problems he had permanently solved, he spoke about continuing to work through them and used his social media accounts to encourage conversations about mental health.
Gerber had spoken publicly about substance use and treatment before his death, but the Medical Examiner had not released any findings linking his death to an overdose, a particular substance or a treatment he previously discussed.
Crawford Had Described Presley as ‘Sensitive,’ ‘Authentic’ and ‘Brave’
Crawford and Presley spoke at length about their relationship during a 2025 Mother’s Day conversation for Vuori.
Presley told his mother that one of the lessons he had absorbed from watching her was persistence during difficult periods. He initially struggled to find the right word, describing how she remained steady in situations that might otherwise wear someone down.
Crawford said she saw that quality in both of them. “I think we’re both pretty sensitive, and when things get tough, we just kind of put our heads down and work through it,” she told him.
When Presley asked her to describe him in three words, Crawford joked that three would never be enough and acknowledged that raising him had sometimes been challenging.
She eventually chose “sensitive,” “authentic” and “brave.”
Crawford also told Presley that he had become one of her biggest teachers. The conversation ended with the two exchanging “I love you.”
The previous year, Crawford had discussed parenting adult children and mental health during another interview. She praised Presley’s willingness to speak openly about his anxiety instead of feeling that he needed to conceal what he was experiencing.
Kaia Said Presley’s Addiction Affected the Entire Family
Kaia discussed her brother in an August Vogue profile published a little more than a month before his death.
The magazine described Presley as having experienced a decade-long struggle with drug addiction. Kaia explained that the situation changed the way she behaved within the family while growing up.
“When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” she said.
Kaia said she began identifying herself as “the easy one” and became reluctant to ask her parents for help because she felt having two children who needed significant attention would be too much.
As WOG reported at the time, she also spoke with admiration about Presley’s decision to discuss experiences the family had previously handled privately.
“My parents for most of our lives were very, very private and didn’t share anything,” Kaia told Vogue before calling Presley an “absolute teacher” for choosing to be more open about what he was going through.