George Clooney has been close to businessman Rande Gerber, his wife Cindy Crawford, and their children Presley and Kaia Gerber for decades—so close, in fact, that he considers their family his. That's why the death of Presley Gerber has hit him so hard, he suggested in his first remarks on Presley's passing Friday.
Presley Gerber died at the age 27 on Sunday, September 20, at the Resolutions Living sober living facility in Santa Monica, California. According to the New York Times, he'd arrived at the facility just one day before. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet announced his cause of death, citing the need for additional testing, but in a press release, Santa Monica police have said that they are investigating Presley's death as a suspected overdose.
Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and George Clooney on December 11, 2002.
Kevin WinterClooney and the Gerber-Crawford household have been close for years, with the pair even occupying twin beachside mansions until their sale in 2016. The men also co-founded tequila brand Casamigos in 2013, which they sold to liquor conglomerate Diageo for a reported $1 billion in 2017.
On Friday, Clooney walked the red carpet for the Albies, an awards ceremony hosted by his and wife Amal Clooney's legal aid organization, The Clooney Foundation of Justice. While outside the event venue, the Natural History Museum in London, a reporter from Entertainment Weekly brought up the tragedy, asking “Is there a special way that you and the Gerbers are planning to are hoping to honor his legacy?”
“I don’t think it’s... we’re even in the position of being able to talk about it,” the 65-year-old actor began in response, clearly searching for words. “Quite honestly, it’s one of the most devastating things that’s happened to our family, and their family is just…" he continued, trailing off.
Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber and George Clooney on August 31, 2011
Frederic Nebinger/Getty Images“As you can imagine, it’s the worst thing that could ever happen to a family,” Clooney concluded.
Following Presley's death, George and Amal Clooney have been spending abundant time with Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber in an effort to help mitigate their grief. Citing a source close to the family, People reported last month that “George and Amal joined the family in Los Angeles after learning of Presley’s death."
“They’re helping with arrangements and whatever else the family needs," the source continued. "George has always been very close with both Kaia and Presley,"
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