By: Oscar Holland, Alli Rosenbloom, Elizabeth Wagmeister

The son of Cindy Crawford, model Presley Gerber, has died at the age of 27, her representative confirmed to CNN.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office said Gerber died Sunday while at a rehab facility. The cause of death was not listed.

Crawford’s publicist confirmed the news, telling CNN: “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”

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Born in California in 1999, Gerber was one of two children Crawford shared with businessman Rande Gerber. Like his sister, Kaia Gerber, he entered the modeling industry at a young age, making his runway debut for Italian label Moschino aged just 16.

He went on to walk for brands including Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, as well as US labels Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren. Gerber modeled in campaigns for Calvin Klein, Celine, Pepsi and Omega, and for magazines including GQ Style and The New York Times Style Magazine.

He also worked as an investor and entrepreneur, according to a biography on DNA Model Management, which signed Gerber in 2019. DNA Model Management — which also represents his sister, as well as fashion figures like Emily Ratajkowski and Adwoa Aboah — did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Gerber had been open about his mental health struggles and drug use in recent years. Appearing on the Studio 22 podcast in 2023, he discussed using his platforms to raise mental health awareness, calling the issue “such a big part of my life.” He ran his own “Mental Health Mondays” initiative and worked with NGOs including the LA homelessness charity, A Sense of Home, according to DNA Model Management.

Last December, Gerber posted a video to Instagram detailing his use of prescription medication, including antidepressants and Xanax for panic attacks. “Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of loss in many different forms recently,” he said in the since-removed video. “So that is not an excuse, but it’s the reason why I am where I’m at now.”

Commenting on the video at the time, Crawford had written “Presley — we love you and you are not alone.” More recently, the 60-year-old supermodel posted to Facebook to mark her son’s 27th birthday in July, writing: “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, but I’ll always see you as my little boy!”

Earlier this month, Kaia spoke about her brother’s struggles with addiction in American Vogue’s September issue cover story. “When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” she said. “I think that’s also why I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help.”

She went on to praise his role within the family. “My parents for most of our lives were very, very private and didn’t share anything — and now we have this absolute teacher, my brother, who says, ‘I’m gonna be very human for everyone,’” she is quoted as saying.

Fashion photographer Collier Schorr, who captured both Kaia and Presley, recalled on Instagram Monday how the “protective brother” accompanied his sister to a Teen Vogue shoot; the siblings so close that “they seemed like twins.” Schorr added: “I shot Pres a few times, the last being a Hugo Boss campaign. I could feel him struggling to be present under the scrutiny. But how he shone. He cared so much. He wanted to find his place. I can know how hard his family tried to keep him.”

Posting to Instagram Stories on Sunday, socialite and reality TV star Paris Hilton said she was “completely heartbroken” by news of Gerber’s death. “Presley, you were such a beautiful soul,” Hilton wrote. “So sweet, sensitive, kind and genuine. I cared about you so much, and I’m going to miss you more than words can say.”

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