Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber makes rare public appearance following brother Presley's tragic death at 27


Presley Gerber passed away on September 20 and is survived by his parents, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, and his sister, Kaia Gerber


kaia gerber black dress© FX via Getty Images
Faye James
Faye JamesSenior Editor
59 minutes ago

Cindy Crawford's daughter, Kaia Gerber, has stepped out in public in Los Angeles, three weeks after the death of her beloved brother, Presley Gerber, on September 20.

Kaia was seen leaving her gym after a workout on Sunday, dressed in black leggings and a black sweater, paired with white socks, slippers, and black sunglasses. She wore her brunette locks straight down her back and said goodbye to her friend as she walked away.

A heartbreaking loss 

Kaia Gerber and Presley Gerber shared a special bond© WWD via Getty Images
Kaia was incredibly close with her brother Presley

The 25-year-old has been grieving her brother's loss after he died at a mental health and addiction recovery center in Santa Monica. Presley was found unresponsive in his room after checking into the facility the previous night around 10 p.m.

Local authorities are investigating Presley's death as a "suspected overdose", with no indication of foul play, and the investigation remains ongoing. 

Helping others

Presley Gerber is seen outside of the 2019 CFDA fashion awards at the Brooklyn Museum showing off his neck tattoo© Getty
Presley spoke openly about his mental health issues

The 27-year-old had long struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse, and had been open about his struggles online in the hopes of helping others.

"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 said on the Studio 22 podcast in 2023. 

Learn more about Presley's advocacy below...

WATCH: Presley Gerber talks mental health

"[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."

"That's really what I want to do: help people, whether you're depressed, 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," he continued. "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."

Kaia and Presley's close bond

Kaia was extremely close with her older brother, and shared with Vogue just a month before his death that she was incredibly proud of how far he had come.  

"When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone," she explained. "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."

Presley Gerber, Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber© WWD via Getty Images
Cindy welcomed Presley and Kaia with her husband, Rande Gerber

"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,'" she continued.

"There's only so much you can hide from the world. And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you're ashamed of them."

Kaia opened up about her brother's addiction struggles© Getty Images
The actress praised her brother for his openness and candor

The actress will begin filming for her upcoming project, Bulls, towards the end of the year, alongside her boyfriend, Lewis Pullman.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress or just needs someone to talk to, support is available. In the US, you can call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential help 24/7.

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