Presley Gerber’s ex-girlfriend Lexi Wood is paying tribute to the model after his death at age 27.
“It’s hard to put into words what it means to lose someone who was such a meaningful part of my life for so many years,” the Summer House alum, 28, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, September 22, alongside several photos and videos featuring Gerber, whom she briefly dated in 2022. The pair have remained close friends.
“Through every chapter and every version of our relationship, friendship was always at the core of it,” Wood continued. “Everyone who loved Presley and was loved by him knows he was one of the kindest, most open, loving and courageous people. He loved so deeply, so purely, was incredibly romantic and thoughtful.”
Wood added that Presley was “incredibly resilient” and “fought so hard for his life” as he battled addiction and mental health struggles for a decade.
“He was brave enough to be open about that fight,” she wrote. “More than anything, he wanted to use his story to help other people, and he did.”
Wood concluded, “I feel so lucky to have shared so many years of friendship, so many memories and so much love with him. He will always hold such a special place in my heart, and we will all miss him forever. 🤍.”
Presley and Wood went Instagram official on November 1, 2022. “Guys, I did it,” he wrote at the time in his caption, with a soundtrack stating, “I’ve found the person that makes me the happiest person I’ve ever been.” The former couple reportedly split one month later.
Us confirmed on Sunday, September 20, that Presley — the son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber — had died while in rehab. (The couple also share daughter Kaia Gerber.)
“The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time,” his loved ones said in a statement.
The Santa Monica Police Department told Us on September 21 that officers responded to a call regarding a possible overdose at 9:35 a.m. local time the previous morning. Authorities found an unresponsive adult male at the scene.
Presley’s death is being investigated as a possible overdose. No foul play is suspected.
Presley’s autopsy was completed on Monday, September 21, Us confirmed. The model’s cause of death is not yet known, with the medical examiner noting that the determination has been “deferred.”
“A deputy medical examiner performed an examination today and the cause and manner of death have been deferred, which means additional testing and/or studies were requested in order to make a determination,” read a statement from the ME’s office. “Due to the ongoing death investigation, the DME cannot disclose what testing and/or studies were requested. Deferred cases can take a few months before a cause of death is determined.”
In the years before his death, Presley opened up about his addiction journey through an Instagram series called “Mental Health Mondays.”
In a video from December 2025, he revealed which medications he had used to treat “panic attacks,” including Buprenorphine, Xanax and Valium.
Later, in March 2026, Presley revealed that he had undergone another form of treatment called Ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid derived from the root of Tabernanthe iboga that can be used for opioid and alcohol dependence.
“Pre Ibogaine Flood Dose — quiet moment before everything changed. I was absolutely terrified, and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this (helps to not go into the situations you do that get ya there, but that’s life sometimes),” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “Letting go of control didn’t come easy, but I trusted there was something bigger than me guiding it. I knew why I was there. I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself 🤍…. We shall see…. Praying it’s the last time I have to come back.”
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).
