Cindy Crawford described her son, Presley Gerber, as a "warrior" in a public comment on his addiction battle, made six months before his death at age 27. The supermodel's remark appeared on an Instagram video posted by her eldest child in March, documenting his time at a wellness clinic in Cancún, Mexico.
"You are a warrior!" Crawford wrote on the post. "Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!"
Her husband, Rande Gerber, echoed the sentiment, commenting, "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."
The couple's daughter, Kaia Gerber, also expressed pride in her brother.
At the time of his mother's comment, Presley was sharing his experience with ibogaine, a psychoactive substance derived from the root bark of the West African Tabernanthe iboga plant, with his social media followers.
"I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself," he captioned a video detailing his treatment. He added, "We shall see. Praying it’s the last time I have to come back. Next time I’d like to choose."
This post was his last update regarding his struggles with addiction. His subsequent and final Instagram post featured a collection of modeling photographs.
Presley Gerber was at an undisclosed rehabilitation facility when he died on Sunday. A joint statement from Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, and Kaia Gerber requested "privacy during this very difficult and painful time."
If you or someone you know is affected by addiction, SAMHSA's National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).