Presley Gerber, the son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, died Sunday in a rehab facility at age 27. Six months before his death, he posted openly on Instagram about his experience with ibogaine flood dose treatment, a psychedelic compound used to address opioid and substance use disorders that remains illegal in the U.S. He described the moment before treatment as his“quiet moment before everything changed,”adding that he was“absolutely terrified.”
What followed on that March 26 post says a lot about the family dynamic. Cindy, Rande, and Kaia Gerber all left supportive comments, with one message celebrating him for walking“thru the fire”to find himself. Presley had also spoken about his mental health struggles in 2023, sharing that he hoped his story could help others facing similar battles with addiction.
His death puts a spotlight on how complicated recovery can be, even for someone with access to resources and a support system. Ibogaine treatment remains a controversial and largely unavailable option in the States, which raises bigger questions about what alternatives exist for people who feel like they’ve tried everything. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or mental health, please reach out to a trusted professional or call 988. What do you think needs to change about how we talk about addiction and recovery?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.