Months before his death, Presley Gerber shared a raw look at his battle with addiction and the treatment he hoped would help him find his way back to himself.
In March, the model — who died unexpectedly in a rehab facility on Sunday — posted a video of himself preparing to undergo an “ibogaine flood dose,” a psychedelic treatment, at a wellness clinic in Cancún, Mexico.
According to Stanford Medicine, ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychedelic derived from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. It has “gained interest from the medical and scientific communities for its potential to treat opioid and cocaine addiction, and research has suggested that it increases signaling of several important molecules within the brain, some of which have been linked to drug addiction and depression.”
The treatment is legal in some countries, but not in the United States.
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“Quiet moment before everything changed,” Gerber wrote in the Instagram caption. “I was absolutely terrified, and I knew I would be again if I ever had to face something like this.”
Gerber said letting go of control was difficult, but he trusted “there was something bigger than me guiding it.”
“I knew why I was there. I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself,” he wrote.
He also said he was “praying it’s the last time” he would need to return for treatment.
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Gerber’s final Instagram post was on Aug. 5, 2026.
The model shared a carousel of photos of himself wearing Vuori clothing. In the images, Gerber smiled outdoors in a black T-shirt and backward cap, displaying his signature neck and arm tattoos. He did not include a caption and instead tagged the Vuori brand’s Instagram account.
Gerber died Sept. 20 at age 27 while staying at a rehabilitation facility, according to records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The model’s cause of death was “deferred,” according to online records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The medical examiner told Fox News Digital that “the investigation is still ongoing and there is limited information available.”
Santa Monica Police Department officials are investigating the death as “a suspected overdose,” according to a release from the department.
A representative for the family told Fox News Digital, “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.”
Gerber’s post was one of several instances in which he publicly documented his recovery journey. In recent years, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber spoke candidly about depression, panic attacks, addiction and the challenges of seeking treatment.
During a 2023 episode of the “Studio 22” podcast, Gerber discussed his experiences with depression and other mental health challenges.
“[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,” he said.
“That’s really what I want to do is help people, whether you’re depressed, you’re struggling with something that is having a negative effect on your body,” he continued. “I mean it could be anything, and there’s no judgment.”
Gerber said he hoped his experiences could help other people avoid making similar mistakes.
“I’ve seen a lot of stuff, and I’ve learned a lot of things,” he said. “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.”
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He also explained why he wanted to be open about his mental health journey.
“Having struggled with mental health, depression and some other things that come along with that, I think that whether I help one person or a hundred people get out of that place that I was in at one point in my life, that’s all I need to do,” Gerber said.
Gerber also used social media to encourage conversations about depression, addiction and men’s mental health. In 2024, he launched “Mental Health Mondays,” a series focused on recovery and emotional well-being.
In a November 2025 Instagram post, Gerber said he had temporarily stepped away from social media to focus on his own mental health.
“It’s been a minute since I’ve posted — I had to step back and take care of my own mental health for a bit,” he wrote.
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“But I’m coming back soon — stronger, clearer, more intentional than ever,” he added.
Gerber said the goal of the series was to encourage people to discuss the issues they often kept hidden.
“When I started Mental Health Mondays, the goal was to spark real conversations about the stuff most people hide,” he wrote. “It’s been incredible seeing how far that message has spread and how many people it’s helped.”
He added, “I’m proud that something I created has inspired others and started a bigger movement around openness and healing.”
Gerber also spoke openly about the medications he was taking and the panic attacks he experienced. In a since-deleted Instagram video posted in December 2025, he said he had been taking several medications, including buprenorphine, Xanax and Valium, according to People.
“Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of loss in many different forms recently, so that is not an excuse, but it’s the reason why I’m where I’m at now,” he said.
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Gerber explained that he hoped the video would help people feel less alone.
“One, so you feel like you’re not alone, because that is how I feel most of the time,” he said. “And I have a feeling that if I say all of this, a lot of people will at least know that there’s someone else going through it.”
“And the second thing is, hopefully, I find some people out here willing to help or know someone that can help,” he added.
The outlet reported that Gerber said he had seen approximately 15 psychiatrists and wanted more structure and direction in his treatment.
“I need some direction,” he said, according to People.
Throughout his recovery, Gerber’s parents and sister, model and actress Kaia Gerber, publicly supported his efforts to seek treatment.
After he shared the post about his ibogaine treatment, Crawford commented, “You are a warrior! Walked thru the fire to find yourself! So proud!”
Rande wrote, “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.”
Kaia also commented, “That’s my brother. I am so damn proud.”
In an August Vogue cover story, Kaia spoke about what the magazine described as her brother’s “decade-long struggle with drug addiction” and the impact it had on their family.
“When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone,” Kaia said.
“I started to self-identify as the easy one and never wanted to ask for help,” she continued. “Because it felt like too much to have two children who were needing.”
Kaia also praised her brother for being open about his struggles despite the family’s traditionally private nature.
“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 said.
“There’s only so much you can hide from the world,” Kaia continued. “And trying to put a lid on something just makes the person feel like you’re ashamed of them.”
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
