Cindy Crawford called her son Presley Gerber a “warrior” in a rare public comment on his addiction struggle months before his death.
The supermodel, 60, left the message on a March Instagram video her eldest child posted from a wellness clinic in Cancún, Mexico. Presley, 25, died Sunday, with Crawford, husband Rande Gerber and daughter Kaia Gerber requesting “privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
“You are a warrior!” Crawford wrote at the time. “Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud! 🙏”
Rande Gerber commented on the same post with his own message of support. “I’m so proud of you and your courage,” he wrote. “Facing what’s hard takes real strength and watching you find your way back to yourself is everything. I love you so much.”
Kaia Gerber, 23, added that she was “so damn proud” of her brother.
Presley had been documenting his experience with ibogaine, a psychoactive substance found in the root bark of the West African shrub Tabernanthe iboga. The treatment remains controversial and is not approved for medical use in the United States.
“I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself,” he captioned the video of his treatment. “We shall see,” Presley continued. “Praying it’s the last time I have to come back. Next time I’d like to choose 😜.”
The Gerber family has largely kept private about Presley’s struggles in the years leading up to his death. The March Instagram exchange marked an unusual moment of public openness about his addiction treatment.
Presley worked as a model and had appeared in campaigns for brands including Calvin Klein. He was the older of Crawford and Rande Gerber’s two children, both of whom followed their parents into the fashion industry.
The family’s Sunday statement did not specify a cause of death. They asked for privacy as they grieved the loss.
Ibogaine has gained attention in some circles as an alternative treatment for substance dependence, though research on its safety and efficacy remains limited. The compound can cause serious cardiac effects and has been linked to multiple deaths in unregulated settings.
Presley’s candid social media posts about his treatment drew both support and concern from followers. His lighthearted sign-off — “Next time I’d like to choose” with a winking emoji — suggested hopefulness about his path forward.
The Gerbers have not announced any public memorial plans.
