Cindy Crawford has spoken publicly for the first time since the death of her son Presley Gerber, saying she is "beyond heartbroken" over the loss of her 27-year-old son.
Presley, the son of Crawford and Rande Gerber, died on September 20 at a rehab facility in Los Angeles. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Tribute to a 'Sweet, Beautiful Soul'
In a black-and-white photo shared by Crawford on Sunday, October 18, the model paid tribute to her "beloved son."
"We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother. We feel so blessed to have had Presley in our lives for 27 years," the statement read.
"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."
"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."
Investigation and Family Privacy
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner lists his case as pending additional investigation, and The Santa Monica Police Department has said there is no indication foul play was involved.
Following his death, a representative for the family told news outlets: "The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time."
Kaia Gerber's Own Tribute
His sister Kaia, 25, also shared her own tribute on her Instagram account, featuring a home video of the pair dancing as children.
"I love you the bluest, to the moon and back and back again, forever big brother," she wrote.
She also wrote a letter to her late brother, starting it: "Prez, I don't have the words. Maybe the tiny mercy is that we didn't need them all along."
Kaia said she has "none of the answers" that could help subside her grief and cannot articulate the "magnitude" of her loss.
"You know how much I loved being your sister. It has always been, and will forever be, my favourite thing about myself," she wrote.
"I came into this world with a white-knuckle grip around you. I had more love for you than I knew what to do with. And now that it has nowhere obvious to go, I'm certain it's going to swallow me whole."
She said that she "would walk knowingly toward this grief if it meant that on the other side of it I got to be your sister."
"My darling brother, I do adore you," she wrote. "I love my brother. My brother is dead. And this party sucks so bad without you, prez."
Tributes From Fellow Stars
Her post was flooded with condolences from fellow stars, including US actors Taylor Lautner and Patrick Schwarzenegger, singer Suki Waterhouse and socialite Paris Hilton.
Hilton wrote: "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."
Presley was signed by IMG Models when he was 15 and modelled for brands including Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, and Bottega Veneta.
He had been outspoken about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health in recent years, and ran a series called "Mental Health Mondays" on his Instagram account.
In 2023, during an appearance on the Studio 22 podcast, he said: "[Mental health] is an issue. It is such a big part of my life. It's a 24/7 job, and there's so much to it."
