George Clooney Shares Grief Over Presley Gerber's Death

George Clooney has spoken out about the "devastating" death of Presley Gerber, son of his close friends Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. Presley died at the age of 27, nearly three weeks prior to Clooney's public comments.

Presley Gerber died on September 20 at a Santa Monica rehabilitation facility called Resolutions Living, reportedly from a suspected overdose after experiencing cardiac arrest. Clooney, who has maintained a long-standing friendship with the Gerber family, shared his sentiments at his awards ceremony, The Albies, held in London.

"Quite honestly, it's one of the most devastating things that's happened to our family," Clooney told Entertainment Tonight. "And their family is just as you can imagine." He added, "It's the worst thing that could ever happen with family."

A source close to the situation told the Daily Mail that Clooney is "deeply saddened and sick over this." Further reports indicate that Clooney, his wife Amal, and other close friends have been providing continuous support to the family, staying with them to ensure they are not alone during this difficult time.

Clooney and Gerber share a business connection as co-founders of Casamigos Tequila, which they launched in 2013 with Mike Meldman and later sold for $1 billion in 2017.

Presley Gerber had reportedly been documenting his final hours in a video taken at the Resolutions Living sober house on the night before his death. He had checked into the facility the evening prior to being found deceased. The video, obtained by TMZ, showed him giving a tour of the sober home, appearing visibly under the influence with glazed eyes.

Insiders claimed to TMZ that Presley had "got high" on the afternoon of his death and became concerned about losing control. His sober coach reportedly contacted the sober living facility, informing them Presley was under the influence and requesting he be admitted. The facility's admissions officer allegedly agreed to take him in. The sober coach had apparently planned to transfer Presley to a rehabilitation facility the following Monday, but needed a temporary placement for the weekend.

Sources allege that Presley continued using drugs within the sober home, possibly viewing the weekend as a final opportunity before entering rehab. He was discovered deceased the following morning. TMZ reported that the admissions officer who admitted Presley into the facility has since been terminated.

Presley's remains were cremated days after his passing, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ. He was cremated at Rose Family Funeral Home, and his occupation was listed as an entrepreneur working in mental health. His parents are reportedly keeping his ashes at their residence.

Sources close to the investigation told TMZ that Presley was found in a bedroom at the rehab house, though not on the bed itself. The investigation is not currently focusing on fentanyl, but final confirmation of substances involved will await the Medical Examiner's toxicology report.

An emergency dispatch call obtained by the Daily Mail included automated voice prompts stating "cardiac arrest" followed by "overdose." The 911 call logs indicated a rapid deterioration of Presley's condition within minutes.

Shortly after the 911 audio release, sources told TMZ that a physician had been prescribing ketamine to Presley, despite knowing his history with the drug. While ketamine can be used in addiction treatment, it is not an FDA-approved use for that purpose. Friends are reportedly angered that the doctor prescribed the dissociative anesthetic knowing his struggles with addiction.

Presley had been open about his decade-long battle with drug addiction and mental health. Earlier in the year, he posted about undergoing an "ibogaine flood dose" at a treatment clinic in Mexico. His parents and sister Kaia had praised his "courage" in response to this treatment.

Ibogaine, a substance derived from an African shrub, is used in some specialized clinics to help with withdrawal symptoms, though it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the U.S. Presley had praised the Beond Ibogaine clinic in Cancun for its staff.

Last November, Presley announced he was taking a step back from social media to focus on his mental health. He later began sharing "Mental Health Mondays" videos on Instagram, detailing his medication for "night terrors" and "panic attacks."

Presley's death occurred weeks after his younger sister, Kaia Gerber, spoke about the significant impact his struggles had on their family, describing it as having "leveled everyone."