“I think that’s really what’s getting me going. That’s what’s getting me out of bed these days,” Presley said. The project reflected an ambition he had expressed publicly for years: to turn difficult personal experiences into something that could potentially help other people.
Presley Gerber shared a message about stepping back to care for his mental health, saying he hoped his openness through “Mental Health Mondays” would help others feel less alone in their own struggles. | Source: Instagram/presleygerber
Presley’s difficulties had become publicly visible years earlier. In January 2019, he was arrested for driving under the influence. Later that year, he received three years of probation and was ordered to complete a DUI program and two days of community service.
The face tattoo quickly became a subject of discussion online, prompting Presley to respond to the criticism in an Instagram Story. About a month later, another tattoo appeared on his other cheek in photographs, but that mark turned out to be fake. The original “MISUNDERSTOOD” tattoo remained visible for some time before becoming less prominent in later photographs.
As investigators work to establish exactly what happened during those final hours, Presley’s family has asked for space. A representative for Cindy, Rande and Kaia told media outlets, “The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time.” Presley was the couple’s first child and only son. He is survived by Cindy, Rande and Kaia.
For now, the timeline is clearer than the final answer: Presley checked into the Santa Monica facility at about 10 p.m. Saturday, two emergency dispatches came in at 9:35 a.m. Sunday describing an overdose and cardiac arrest, and responding paramedics pronounced him dead at 9:45 a.m.
Police are investigating the death as a suspected overdose, while the Medical Examiner has deferred the official cause and manner of death pending additional testing. RIP, Presley Gerber.
