Supermodel Cindy Crawford and her businessman husband Rande Gerber’s first child, Presley Gerber, died in a rehab facility on Sunday, September 20, TMZ reports. He was 27.
Presley’s heartbroken parents and younger sister, model and actress Kaia Gerber, are yet to break their silence on their loss, only to ask for privacy in a short statement. “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time,” the statement reads, TMZ reports. However, sources close to the family have shared insight into their shock over what happened to Presley, and how he had their unwavering support.
Presley Gerber’s Loving Family Are ‘In Total Shock’
“The family is in total shock right now. They are saddened beyond words,” the source told People. “Kaia loved that Presley was so open about his struggles; his family was so proud that he was finding strength in helping others.”
Another source close to Crawford revealed that she and Rande were incredibly loving and supportive parents. “This was never a situation involving two absent Hollywood parents,” they said. “Cindy and Rande could not have been more supportive of Presley. They were always there for him and did everything they could to help him. The family has always been incredibly close, and Presley was deeply loved.”
The source also described Presley’s ups and downs and how his family never wavered in their support. “There were times when Presley was doing really well. A few years ago, he was working at the family restaurant in Malibu and seemed to be in a good place,” they said. “That is what makes this so heartbreaking. His family never stopped supporting him, loving him, and hoping that he would be okay.”
Presley Gerber Opens Up About His Mental Health Struggles
Presley bravely spoke about his mental health struggles and substance abuse issues. “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 on an appearance on the “Studio 22” podcast, Men’s Journal reports.
He continued, “It is such a big part of my life. It’s a 24/7 job, and there’s so much to it. That’s really what I want to do: help people, whether you’re depressed, you’re struggling with something that is having a negative effect on your body. I mean, it could be anything, and there’s no judgment. I’ve seen a lot of stuff, and I’ve learned a lot of things. 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.”
Just one month before Presley’s passing, Kaia spoke about his addiction in an interview with Vogue. “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. Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needing.”
