Cindy Crawford and her family spoke out for the first time after her son, Presley, died at age 27.
“Presley Walker Gerber. July 2, 1999-September 20, 2026. We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother. We feel so blessed to have had Presley in our lives for 27 years. He is a sweet, beautiful soul who loved and is loved, now and forever,” the family wrote in a statement shared via Crawford’s Instagram on Sunday, October 18. “We are so proud of how he showed up in the world, with kindness and vulnerability. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from so many who know and love our family and even strangers who feel our pain. Til we meet again our sweet boy.”
The message was signed, “We love you forever, Mom, Dad and Kaia 🪽.”
Alongside the statement, the family shared a black-and-white photo of Presley smiling as he looked off in the distance with angel wings placed in front of him. They added, “Thank you @sebastianfaena for capturing this beautiful image 🙏🏼.”
Us confirmed on Sunday, September 20, that Crawford and husband Rande Gerber‘s son died in a rehab facility from a suspected overdose.
“The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time,” read the statement from Presley’s loved ones as the investigation into his death remains ongoing.
Before his death, Presley spoke about his struggles with mental health issues and addiction.
“Having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that, I think that whether I help one person or a hundred people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that’s all I need to do,” he said during a 2023 appearance on the “Studio 22” podcast.
Presley added: “It’s a huge part of my life. It’s a 24/7 job and there’s so much to it. That’s what I really want to do — help people get out of whether you’re depressed [or] struggling with something that’s having a negative effect on your body. … What I hope I can do is have made the mistakes for some other people, so they don’t have to make the same mistakes that I made.”
Crawford, meanwhile, shared an emotional tribute to Presley months before his death.
“Happy birthday @presleygerber 🎂 I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, but I’ll always see you as my little boy! Love you ❤️,” she wrote via Instagram in July.
Crawford also previously spoke about adjusting to life without her kids at home. (The supermodel also shares daughter Kaia Gerber with husband Rande, 64.)
“When they become adults, all of a sudden you’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got to back off here.’ It might not be the way I would do it, but you know,” she told PORTER magazine in September. “When you get married, you talk about what kind of family you want or where we’re going to live. But no one ever talks about what this phase looks like, empty nesting, because it’s so far away you can’t even imagine it. But it’s an opportunity for us to redefine our relationship.”
At the time, Crawford hinted she was “looking forward” to becoming a grandmother, adding, “I’m at the age where a lot of my friends are starting to have grandkids, and even though I don’t think either one of my kids is close, I do hope I get to experience that, because it looks really fun.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
