Nearly a month after Presley Gerber’s tragic death, Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber have broken their silence. Kaia, 25, shared a carousel of photos, videos and text about her older brother, who died of a suspected overdose in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 27.
“Prez, I don’t have the words,” she started. “And maybe the tiny mercy is that we didn’t need them all along. Words fail and words subtract and words summarize and words always lack truth. And how naïve of me to believe that language could transcend grief.”
She went on to say that one of her favourite things about herself was being Presley’s sister, and that she didn’t know what to do with the love she had for him now. With nowhere for it to go, she said she was certain it would swallow her whole.
“You believed people were inherently good because, Presley, you are inherently good,” she wrote. Later, she shared: “And I keep thinking about how when we were little, I got scared before getting my ears pierced, so you went first. And you always went first. But when I held the earring they took from your body, all I could think was: that belongs to you.”
She finished the tribute, which was set to song, ‘First I Was’ by Jake Minch: “You lit all of my candles and took all of my monsters away. And I love you. And I love you. And I love you. Only you know how much. Thank you for being here. P.S. This song is the last thing we talked about. First you were. You always went first.”
Celebrities including Aussies Lara Worthington, Christine Centenera and Miranda Kerr, as well as Patrick Schwarzenegger, Amelia Gray and Paris Hilton have commented on the post, with Hilton writing: “My heart breaks for you and your family. Presley was truly one of a kind, and I feel so lucky to have known him. I’ll always remember him with so much love. I wish I could give you the biggest hug right now. Sending you and your family all my love.”
Presley’s parents Crawford and Gerber shared identical posts: a black-and-white photo of a smiling Presley, with wings in front of him. They started the caption with his full name, Presley Walker Gerber, followed by his birth date (July 2, 1999) and the day he died (September 20, 2026).
“We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother,” they wrote. “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. We are so proud of how he showed up in the world, with kindness and vulnerability.”
The duo, who have only been spotted by paparazzi once in the last month, finished: 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. We love you forever, Mom, Dad and Kaia.”
Gerber died at a rehab facility in California, following a long battle with mental health and substance use. In November last year, he shared text over a photo of a beach sunset on Instagram, explaining why he’d started his social series ‘Mental Health Mondays’.
“It’s been a minute since I’ve posted – I had to step back and take care of my own mental health for a bit,” he wrote. “But I’m coming back soon – stronger, clearer, more intentional than ever. When I started Mental Health Mondays, the goal was to spark real conversations about the stuff most people hide. It’s been incredible seeing how far that message has spread and how many people it’s helped.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14.
