In the months before Presley Gerber’s death, a social media post captured a side of his journey that those closest to him had watched unfold for years.
The model, who died at a rehabilitation facility on September 20 at age 27, used the post to document a pivotal step in his recovery journey.
His family’s response was immediate and deeply personal, with Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber, and Rande Gerber publicly rallying around him as he faced one of the most difficult chapters of his life.
Long before news of his death emerged, Presley Gerber had chosen to document moments that many people facing addiction keep private.
One of his most revealing updates arrived in March, when he took to Instagram with a video recorded shortly before undergoing an “ibogaine flood dose,” a psychedelic treatment used in certain countries to help address addiction.
Rather than present the experience as a breakthrough, Presley described approaching it with fear and uncertainty.
“Quiet moment before everything changed,” he wrote alongside the video, adding, “I was absolutely terrified, and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this.”
The treatment required him to surrender a level of control that he admitted did not come naturally. “Letting go of control didn’t come easy, but I trusted there was something bigger than me guiding it,” Presley explained.
His reflections suggested that the experience was about more than treatment alone. It was also about confronting issues he had spent years avoiding.
“I knew why I was there. I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself,” he wrote.
Presley ended that portion of his message with a short but telling phrase, noting, “We shall see.”
Presley Hoped The Treatment Would Mark A New Beginning
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Beyond describing the experience itself, Presley Gerber also shared what he hoped the treatment would mean for his future.
In the same post, he revealed that he was looking ahead to a time when returning for treatment would no longer be necessary. “I’m praying it’s the last time I have to come back,” he wrote.
The model also took time to recognize the people who had helped him through the process, thanking “the incredible caring kind and on their sh-t team” involved in the treatment program.
Despite the seriousness of the experience, he ended the message on a lighter note, revealing that the journey had also introduced him to new friendships. “And I made some dope ass friends there,” Presley wrote.
Presley Gerber’s Family Publicly Celebrated His Progress
Kaia: “That’s my brother I’m so damn proud”Cindy: “Your a warrior..”Randy: “ I’m so proud of you and ur courage” Presley got so much support and love from his family on his IG post as he shared his treatment journey. 💔🥹 pic.twitter.com/y61hoAkFbD— Hanz (@fashionistaera) September 21, 2026
The post quickly became a family affair as some of the people closest to Presley filled the comments section with messages of encouragement.
Among them was his mom, Crawford, whose response would take on added significance months later. “You are a warrior! Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!” the supermodel wrote.
Presley’s sister, Kaia, also left a message celebrating her older brother’s determination. She commented, “That’s my brother I am so damn proud.”
His dad, Rande Gerber, also echoed those sentiments, praising the work Presley had put into his recovery journey.
He wrote, “I’m so proud of you and your courage. Facing what’s hard takes real strength and watching you find your way back to yourself is everything. I love you so much.”
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Presley Revealed Near-Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Left Him In A Coma
The optimism that filled Presley Gerber’s ibogaine-treatment post did not emerge overnight. Long before he described “finding my way back to myself,” he had survived one of the most frightening moments of his life: a fentanyl overdose that nearly killed him.
In 2024, Presley publicly disclosed that he had been battling a severe opioid addiction and revealed that the crisis escalated into a near-fatal overdose.
According to his account, the incident left him in a coma for several days and became a turning point in how he viewed both addiction and recovery.
Rather than hiding that experience, Presley chose to discuss it openly as part of his efforts to help others facing similar struggles.
As he became more candid about his life, Presley explained that addiction was only one part of a broader battle involving mental health, depression, and finding stability after years of struggling.
During a 2023 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.”
Presley also spoke about his desire to use his experiences to help other people who felt trapped by similar circumstances.
In his words, “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.”
Presley Gerber Said Psychiatrists Left Him Heavily Medicated
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As Presley continued searching for answers after the overdose, another struggle emerged. This time, it involved the medications he had been prescribed while trying to manage anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and addiction recovery.
In a candid Instagram video shared in December 2025, the 27-year-old revealed that he had consulted more than 15 psychiatrists and felt overwhelmed by the conflicting advice he received.
According to Presley, the experience left him dependent on several medications while still searching for clear direction.
Describing his frustration, he said, “I’d like doctors to be like, ‘Take this three times a day’ … but every psychiatrist I’ve had — I’ve had 15 — are like, ‘Here’s 20 medications and take this if you feel like this … and I’m like, ‘No, don’t get me that much leeway.’ I need some direction.”
Presley revealed that he was taking medications including Buprenorphine, Xanax, and Valium while trying to navigate severe panic attacks and depressive symptoms. At the same time, he admitted that the uncertainty surrounding those medications was frightening.
In the same update, he explained that he had started making major lifestyle changes in an effort to improve his mental health. Exercise became a key part of that process, and he also made the decision to stop drinking alcohol.
He concluded by explaining why he was willing to be so vulnerable in public. “So you feel like you’re not alone, because that is how I feel most of the time and I have a feeling that if I say all of this, a lot of people will at least know that there’s someone else going through it,” he shared.
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