Two former girlfriends of Presley Gerber are paying tribute to the model after his death from an apparent overdose.
Lexi Wood, an influencer who dated Gerber in 2022, honored him in an emotional Instagram post on Sept. 22. She described Gerber as "such a meaningful part of my life for so many years" and remembered him as "one of the kindest, most open, loving and courageous people."
The post featured a carousel of photos of the pair together, as well as a picture of a sticky note on a computer with a message from Gerber to Wood: "I'm so proud of you, you're amazing Lexi. I love you."
"He loved so deeply, so purely, was incredibly romantic and thoughtful," she continued. "He was also incredibly resilient. He fought so hard for his life and he was brave
enough to be open about that fight. More than anything, he wanted to use his story to help other people, and he did."
The post concluded, "I feel so lucky to have shared so many years of friendship, so many memories and so much love with him. He will always hold such a special place in my heart, and we will all miss him forever."
Wood and Gerber made their relationship Instagram official in November 2022, with Wood saying at the time, "I always told you guys that when I was in love that I would share it and we've arrived. Your girl is in love with this guy." They reportedly broke up the following month.
Gerber, the son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber and sister of Kaia Gerber, died on Sept. 20 at a rehab facility in Los Angeles. He was 27. Detectives with the Santa Monica Police Department are investigating the death as a suspected overdose, the department said in a press release.
Gerber had been open during his life about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues.
Charlotte D'Alessio, who dated Gerber from 2018 to 2020, also reacted to his death in a series of posts on her Instagram story.
"Shared a pure love with you & for that I thank & honor your life," she wrote. "You deserved more time. You deserved more life. Very angry [about] this."
The model, who posted a number of photos of the pair together, also wrote, "Love u Pres. Always. Up there, down here. Don't ever doubt that. We all love you so much. I hope you can feel it."
A representative for Crawford and Rande Gerber previously confirmed Gerber's death to USA TODAY, saying in a statement, "The family is asking for privacy during this very difficult and painful time."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presley Gerber ex-girlfriends speak out in emotional tributes
