Presley Gerber's addiction battle: From ibogaine treatment to unexpected death at 27

Presley Gerber died on September 20 at a rehabilitation facility in the Los Angeles area. He was 27 years old. The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating his death as a suspected overdose, though the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has deferred the official cause pending further investigation.

Six months before his death, in March, Gerber had posted a video documenting a moment that felt pivotal to him—the hours before he underwent ibogaine treatment at a wellness clinic in Cancún, Mexico. Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound extracted from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. It is legal in some countries but not in the United States, though medical researchers have shown interest in its potential to address opioid and cocaine addiction by increasing signaling of molecules in the brain linked to dependency and depression. In the caption accompanying the video, Gerber wrote about the terror he felt before the procedure, about the difficulty of surrendering control, and about trusting in something larger than himself. "I knew why I was there," he wrote. "I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself." He added that he was "praying it's the last time" he would need to return for treatment.

For years, Gerber had spoken openly about his struggles with depression, panic attacks, and addiction—a decade-long battle, according to his sister Kaia. In a 2023 podcast appearance, he described mental health as "a 24/7 job" and expressed a desire to help others avoid the mistakes he had made. In 2024, he launched "Mental Health Mondays," a social media series aimed at sparking conversations about issues people typically keep hidden. By November 2025, he had stepped back from posting to focus on his own wellbeing, writing that he would return "stronger, clearer, more intentional than ever."

In December 2025, Gerber posted a since-deleted video in which he discussed the medications he was taking—buprenorphine, Xanax, and Valium—and spoke about recent losses he had experienced. He explained that he had seen approximately 15 psychiatrists and felt he needed more structure and direction in his treatment. "I need some direction," he said. The video was an attempt to reach others struggling similarly, to let them know they were not alone, and to find people willing to help.

His final public post came on August 5, a carousel of photographs showing him in Vuori clothing, smiling outdoors in a black T-shirt and backward cap, his signature neck and arm tattoos visible. He included no caption, only a tag to the brand's account.

Throughout his recovery efforts, Gerber's family—his mother, supermodel Cindy Crawford; his father, businessman Rande Gerber; and his sister Kaia, also a model and actress—publicly supported him. After his March ibogaine post, Crawford commented that he was "a warrior" who had "walked thru the fire to find yourself." Rande praised his son's courage, writing that "watching you find your way back to yourself is everything." Kaia called him her teacher, noting that in an era when their parents had been traditionally private, her brother had chosen to be "very human for everyone."

In an August Vogue cover story, Kaia reflected on what his struggle had meant for the family. "When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone," she said. She acknowledged that she had begun to see herself as "the easy one" and had resisted asking for help, feeling it would be too much to have two children needing support. But she also praised her brother for his willingness to be vulnerable despite the family's history of privacy. "There's only so much you can hide from the world," she said. "And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you're ashamed of them."

The family has asked for privacy as they grieve. The investigation into Gerber's death remains ongoing, with limited information currently available.