Paris Hilton's Touching Tribute to Presley Gerber Amidst News of His Death

Paris Hilton posted a poignant message on Presley Gerber's last Instagram update just hours before the news of his death at age 27 emerged. Gerber, son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, passed away Sunday at a rehabilitation facility, according to TMZ. His cause of death has not been disclosed.

Hilton, 45, commented on a post Gerber shared in August, where he was seen modeling clothing from the brand Vuori. "Love you bro," she wrote, accompanied by a heart-face emoji and heart hands emoji. Gerber's main Instagram feed had been inactive since that post.

This appears to be Hilton's last public interaction with Gerber before his death. Gerber's final red carpet appearance was on January 20, attending the premiere of Hilton's documentary, "Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir."

Earlier this year, Gerber was pictured alongside his mother Cindy Crawford and sister Kaia Gerber at the RE/DONE x Kaia Gerber Short/Cuts Launch event in Los Angeles. He was also seen smiling with his mother and sister in photos taken four months prior to his passing.

In recent months, Gerber had been open about his struggles with mental health and drug use. In November, he announced he was taking a step back from social media to focus on his mental well-being. The following month, he shared details about his medication regimen, which included treatments for night terrors and panic attacks. He mentioned taking Buprenorphine, used for pain and opioid use disorders, and benzodiazepines, including Xanax and Valium, to manage anxiety and panic attacks.

Gerber expressed that his struggles stemmed from a "lot of loss in many different forms recently" and noted a lack of clear direction from his numerous psychiatrists regarding his medication. He stated, "I'd like doctors to be like, 'Take this three times a day.' But every psychiatrist I've had - and I've had 15 - are like, 'Here's 20 medications and take this if you feel like this, take this as needed.'"

His sister, Kaia Gerber, speaking to Vogue, described her brother's openness as "refreshing." She explained that while her parents were historically very private, Presley chose to be "very human for everyone," asserting that trying to conceal struggles only leads to feelings of shame.

In May, Gerber posted a heartfelt tribute to his father, Rande Gerber, expressing gratitude for his unwavering support and advice. His father responded with a loving message, stating, "I am honored [to] take this ride called life with you over and over any time. Sometimes we may fall but with a little help always get back up. I love you forever Prez."

Gerber had previously referred to his mental health challenges as "the ultimate pandemic" and expressed a desire to help others facing similar difficulties. In 2023, he shared on the Studio 22 podcast that mental health was a "24/7 job" and that his aspiration was to assist individuals struggling with depression or other negative health effects.