Presley Gerber's ex-girlfriend, Canadian model Charlotte D'Alessio, has broken her silence following his sudden death at age 27, sharing a series of emotional tributes on Instagram.
Background on his death
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Gerber, son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, died at a rehab facility on 20 September. His death has reportedly been linked to a suspected overdose, though an official cause has not yet been confirmed.
What Charlotte said
D'Alessio, who dated Gerber from 2018 for around two years, shared several photos and videos of the pair together. Alongside a video of him running near water with a small dog, she wrote that this is how she'll "always remember him." In a separate post showing the couple looking into each other's eyes, she wrote: "Shared a pure love with you & for that I thank & honour your life. You deserved more time. You deserved more life. Very angry ab this." In a third post, a black-and-white photo of the two embracing, she added: "Love u Pres. Always. Up there, down here. don't ever doubt that. We all love you so much. I hope you can feel it."
His own openness about mental health
Like his mother and D'Alessio, Gerber worked as a model, collaborating with major fashion houses including Calvin Klein, Moschino, Burberry, and Dolce & Gabbana. He had spoken openly in recent years about his struggles with depression and substance abuse. Speaking on the podcast Studio 22 in 2023, he said: "Having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that, I think that whether I help one person or 100 people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that's all I need to do." He added: "That's really what I want to do: help people, whether you're depressed, or 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."
Gerber had also run an Instagram series called "Mental Health Mondays," writing in November 2025: "It's been a minute since I've posted - I had to take a step back and take care of my own mental health for a bit. But I'm coming back soon - stronger, clearer, more intentional than ever."
His sister's reflection
His sister, Kaia Gerber, spoke about his decade-long struggle with addiction in Vogue's September issue, saying: "When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone. 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. 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.'"
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or mental health, help is available through American Addiction Centers at (888) 324-0595, available 24/7, or via 988lifeline.org.
