Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber break silence on son Presley's death at 27

Almost a month after their 27-year-old son Presley Gerber died of a suspected overdose at a Santa Monica rehabilitation facility, supermodel Cindy Crawford, businessman Rande Gerber, and their model daughter Kaia Gerber have broken their silence with a joint statement posted to Instagram on Sunday, October 18. Presley passed away on September 20 at the Resolutions Living facility after going into cardiac arrest, prompting emergency dispatches and an ongoing investigation by the Santa Monica Police Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

The family's public tribute, shared alongside a black-and-white portrait crafted by artist Sebastian Faena, marks the first direct words from the parents since emergency responders arrived at the sober home following a 9:35 a.m. call. We are beyond heartbroken to lose our beloved son and brother, Crawford, 60, Rande, 64, and Kaia, 25, wrote in the post. 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.

What led up to Presley Gerber entering the Santa Monica facility?

Presley had checked into Resolutions Living the day before his death after spending Saturday afternoon reportedly getting high and growing concerned that he was losing control. According to insiders cited by TMZ, a sober coach contacted the facility and agreed to place Presley on a temporary hold for the weekend before planned admission to a rehab clinic on Monday. Footage obtained by TMZ from around 10:00 p.m. the night before he died showed Presley giving a solo tour of the sober home in a white undershirt, silver chain necklace, and black eyeglasses while appearing under the influence with glazed eyes.

Audio recordings obtained by PEOPLE and the Daily Mail captured the sequence of emergency calls from the address. A dispatch at 9:35 a.m. on September 20 reported a cardiac arrest, which was upgraded three minutes later to an overdose before receiving a priority escalation at 9:40 a.m. Authorities confirmed that officers discovered Presley dead upon arrival with no indication of foul play. Following his passing, his remains were cremated days later at the Rose Family Funeral Home, per a death certificate obtained by TMZ, and Crawford and Rande will reportedly keep their son's ashes at their residence.

How did the family navigate his decade-long struggle with addiction?

The tragedy follows a public battle with substance abuse and mental health that Presley documented on social media, where he hosted Mental Health Mondays and discussed taking medication for panic attacks and night terrors. Earlier this year, he shared details of undergoing a pre-ibogaine flood dose at a Mexican treatment clinic, a single high-dose administration of the psychoactive substance ibogaine designed to induce a reset from withdrawal symptoms. At the time, Crawford praised him as a warrior who walked through the fire to find himself, while Kaia commended his courage.

Behind the scenes, insiders told PEOPLE that Crawford and Rande spent years helping their son seek treatment through therapy, inpatient and outpatient rehab, and homeopathic therapies. This was never a situation involving two absent Hollywood parents, an insider told PEOPLE, adding that the family remained incredibly close. In a Vogue cover story published on Aug. 11, Kaia described how her brother's struggles affected the household, noting that she began self-identifying as the easy one who never asked for help because it felt like too much for the family to handle two children in need.

Who is affected and what support systems are in place?

• Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, who are grieving their only son and will reportedly keep his ashes at their residence.
• Kaia Gerber, who shared her own grainy home video and a poem, mourning her older brother.
• Friends, supporters, and strangers who have sent an outpouring of love to the family.
• Individuals facing similar battles who have access to crisis support resources.

The tragedy highlights the immense toll of substance abuse on families, prompting renewed attention to the mental health resources available for individuals and relatives navigating addiction. For anyone struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, or substance use problems, the 988 lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org. Additionally, the SAMHSA helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.

That leaves the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner with the final task of releasing the official toxicology report to determine the definitive cause and manner of death.