Doctor Behind Resolutions Living, Where Cindy Crawford's Son Presley Gerber Died, Has a Troubled Past — Photos

Presley Gerber died after checking into a Santa Monica recovery residence, bringing renewed attention to Dr. Reza Nabavi, one of its co-founders. As questions surrounding the facility continue, a look into Nabavi’s past reveals a surprising chapter few readers may expect.

Presley, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, checked into Resolutions Living on Saturday night, September 19, 2026, according to reports cited by TMZ.

The timing would prove painfully significant. Sources familiar with Presley's arrival told TMZ that he did not appear sober when he checked in, reportedly appearing to be under the influence of a substance while seeking help for his long-running substance-abuse and mental-health struggles.

Presley Was Looking for Help Before His Final Hours

That account has not been established as an official medical finding, and authorities have not said what, if anything, Presley consumed before or after arriving. The residence where he sought help was Resolutions Living, a recovery home founded by Dr. Reza Nabavi.

According to the facility's own overview, it describes itself as a structured recovery environment for people dealing with substance-abuse problems, mental-health conditions, trauma, and other challenges.

The residence offers a notably upscale setting, with reported amenities including chef-prepared meals, a gym, a movie theater, a stocked pantry, indoor and outdoor common areas, and 24/7 on-site staff. The three-story property sits in a prestigious section of Santa Monica with ocean and city views.

The program also promotes activities such as exercise, yoga, hiking, beach trips, and art workshops. Several other people were reportedly living at the property when Presley arrived.

Then Came the Sunday Morning Emergency

By Sunday morning, everything had changed. Dispatch recordings obtained by People showed that a call was dispatched to police at approximately 9:35 a.m. on Sept. 20 for a cardiac arrest in the 1000 block of Berkeley Street.

Another dispatch referred to an overdose at the same address. The Los Angeles Times likewise reported that Santa Monica police received calls involving both cardiac arrest and an overdose.

When officers arrived at Resolutions Living, Presley was found unresponsive. Life-saving measures were performed, but paramedics pronounced him dead at approximately 9:45 a.m. He was only 27. Sources with direct knowledge later told TMZ that his family had been informed that his death appeared to have resulted from an overdose.

But that remained a working theory rather than an official cause of death. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office deferred the cause while additional testing, including toxicology, was pending.

Investigators Began Looking at the Final Hours

Police also interviewed people who were staying at the residence as they tried to establish what happened between Presley's arrival Saturday night and the emergency Sunday morning.

Sources told TMZ that investigators were examining whether any substance Presley may have taken was prescribed to him or came from another source, including a dealer, friend, or someone else.

There was no official determination that another person supplied Presley with drugs, and authorities had not identified a suspect. Police have said there was no indication of foul play. The investigation therefore remained focused on determining exactly what happened during those final hours and what substances, if any, were involved.

The Place He Entered Was Not a Conventional Hospital

Resolutions Living had been operating for years before Presley's death. A Daily Mail report identified the property as a $7.7 million, seven-bedroom mansion founded and owned by Reza, who also serves as its clinical director.

The facility's stated mission is to provide structure, recreation, life-skills training, vocational coaching, accountability and community for people recovering from addiction, mental-health issues and co-occurring disorders.

But reports have also highlighted an important distinction about the residence. According to Page Six, a representative for California's Department of Health Care Services said Resolutions Living was not a licensed substance-use-disorder residential treatment facility and appeared to operate as a sober-living environment or recovery residence.

It was unclear how much Presley was paying to stay there. The Daily Mail cited general figures from Westwind Recovery indicating that luxury sober-living arrangements in coastal communities such as Santa Monica and Malibu can cost roughly $5,000 to more than $15,000 a month.

A neighbor also described seeing emergency vehicles at the property before. "I saw the ambulance Sunday morning. It's really sad, but it's not the first time there have been ambulances here," the neighbor told the Daily Mail.

The resident also alleged that the operation occupied two neighboring homes, each with at least seven beds, and complained about noise from a pickleball court.

The Daily Mail reported that federal protections, including the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act, can limit local governments' ability to discriminate against qualifying treatment and sober-living residences.

While attention initially centered on the facility and Presley's death, another detail was about to come into sharper focus. The background of the doctor behind the residence was far more complicated than the polished recovery setting suggested.

The Doctor Was Suddenly in the Spotlight

Reza, 50, and his partner, Dr. Maryam Akbar, run Resolutions Living. Following Presley's death, exclusive Daily Mail photographs showed Reza leaving his $4.25 million Malibu home.

He was dressed in an olive-green surf poncho and carried blue swimming goggles as he headed toward his black Mercedes S450 for a morning swim at an Olympic-sized pool at nearby Pepperdine University.

The Daily Mail reported that Reza appeared carefree as he went about his morning. But behind those photographs was a story stretching back to 2002. Long before he became a psychologist and addiction-recovery professional, Reza had faced criminal cases involving controlled substances, a teenage girl and weapons.

Dr. Reza's First Arrest Involved Drugs and a 15-Year-Old Girl

According to a California Board of Psychology filing obtained by the Daily Mail, Reza was arrested twice in 2002. The first case involved police finding him asleep inside a car with a teenage girl who was also asleep.

The board filing said Reza had "drugs and drug paraphernalia" with him. According to official documents cited by Page Six, the girl was 15 and was under the influence of methamphetamine. Reza was 25 at the time. Police reportedly searched his vehicle and found methamphetamine, marijuana, a hunting knife, a handgun, and ammunition, according to Page Six.

Reza pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance in that case. The details would later become central to his attempt to obtain a psychology license in California.

The Second Arrest Came While He Was on Probation

The first case was not the end of the matter. The California Board of Psychology filing said that "shortly after his conviction in the first matter… and while he was on probation," Reza was again found in possession of a controlled substance.

That resulted in a June 2002 conviction. The second arrest reportedly involved methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia, and Reza again pleaded no contest.

He received 36 months of probation for each case. Two years later, he obtained a PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. But his past did not simply disappear when he earned the doctorate.

His Psychology License Bid Was Blocked

Reza's first attempt to register as a psychologist in California in 2004 was blocked because of the two arrests, according to the board records. He was eventually allowed to register under probationary terms.

Those conditions were strict. The filing said he had to undergo a psychological evaluation, work under supervision, abstain from drugs and alcohol, submit to random fluid testing, and participate in alcohol- and drug-use programs.

The requirements were particularly notable given the nature of his previous cases. The same filing said Reza had "made great strides in his rehabilitation."

It stated that he had been clean and sober since May 31, 2002, and had completed his higher education, including a master's degree and doctorate. It also said he regularly participated in Narcotics Anonymous and had become a sponsor to other people battling addiction.

He Eventually Won the Board's Approval

Reza later convinced the psychology board to end his probationary period. The filing said he "recognizes that he cannot use drugs or alcohol even recreationally." It also stated that he "acknowledged his responsibility for his past misconduct." That decision allowed him to begin practicing privately.

According to Page Six, Reza eventually registered as a psychologist in December 2006 after complying with the probationary conditions, and the California Board of Psychology later granted an early termination of his probation in May 2008.

His career then moved further into addiction treatment. Page Six reported that he served as director of family services at Promises Malibu, a celebrity-frequented rehabilitation center, from June 2006 until May 2011. Two years after leaving that role, he opened Resolutions Living in Santa Monica. And that is where the timeline eventually brings the story back to Presley.

The Doctor's Past and Presley's Struggle Were Strikingly Different Stories

Reza's history involved his own period of drug use and a criminal record that temporarily complicated his professional licensing. Presley's history, meanwhile, involved years of publicly documented struggles with addiction, mental health, and attempts at recovery.

According to Page Six, Presley had previously spoken about alcohol, opioids, painkillers, anti-anxiety medication, benzodiazepines including Xanax, and ketamine. He had also been arrested for driving under the influence in December 2018, when he was 19. A source described Presley as dealing with "the full gamut" around the time of his death.

"He was such a kind person, but he grew up in that strange Malibu world where it's very easy to fall into drugs and drinking as you are growing up," the source claimed. Presley had begun modeling as a teenager, following his mother into the fashion world and later working in the same industry as his younger sister, Kaia Gerber.

Presley Had Been Trying to Turn Things Around

As we previously reported, by December 2025, Presley Gerber was publicly discussing changes he was making in his life. In a Us Weekly update, he revealed that he had stopped drinking alcohol after his birthday in July. "That is no longer serving me." He was also working out, using the sauna, taking baths, and paying closer attention to the people around him.

Presley said there were people from the Hollywood world he loved "to death," but he was deliberately spending less time around some of them while trying to surround himself with better influences.

The changes sounded ordinary, but they reflected how seriously he was trying to regain control. He also spoke about panic attacks, medication, and the difficulty of finding a treatment approach that worked for him.

At one point, Presley said he had already seen 15 psychiatrists. "Every psychiatrist I've had — I've had 15 — are like, 'Here's 20 medications and take this if you feel like this,'" he said.

He wanted doctors to provide clearer instructions. "The doctors say a lot of different things, so it's kind of scary." Presley said he hoped that his own research, his doctors' research, his faith, and time would help them "figure this out."

Then He Took Another Major Step in Recovery

In one of his final social-media posts, Presley documented undergoing ibogaine treatment. In the March 2026 post, he described how frightened he had been before the experience. "I was absolutely terrified." He continued, "Letting go of control didn't come easy."

"I faced what I had been running from, and somewhere in all of it, I started finding my way back to myself." Presley ended the post by saying he was "praying it's the last time I have to come back." His family responded with encouragement. Cindy told him, "You are a warrior! Walked thru [sic] the fire to find yourself! So proud! 🙏" Kaia wrote, "That's my brother. I am so damn proud."

Rande also praised his son's courage, "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❤️"

Presley responded to his father with a short message, "Thank you pops learned it from you [sic]." The exchange showed how involved his family remained as he tried to find a way forward.

His Last Public Appearance Was About the Same Struggle

On June 11, Presley appeared with Cindy and Rande at a mental-health-focused event in Malibu. The appearance, reported by People, would become his final public appearance.

This time, Presley was not merely accompanying his famous parents. He joined a panel and spoke about his own experience, including a turning point around age 23 and the process of distinguishing his internal struggles from his sense of identity.

"The most free I felt was when I was finally honest with myself," he said. He also offered simple advice for difficult days: move, go outside, get some sun or lie on the grass if that was all someone could manage.

The event was connected to a bracelet collaboration whose proceeds were directed toward mental-health organizations. It was another public expression of the cause Presley had increasingly made part of his life.

Kaia Had Seen the Struggle From Close Up

About a month before Presley's death, Kaia spoke publicly about what his struggles had meant for their family. His history was described as a "decade-long struggle with drug addiction."

"When something like that happens in a family, it kind of levels everyone," Kaia said in the interview. She explained that she began identifying herself as "the easy one" and became reluctant to ask her parents for help because it felt as though they already had one child who needed so much of them.

Yet Kaia also viewed her brother's decision to become more open about his struggles differently. She called him an "absolute teacher" and recalled his attitude as: "I'm gonna be very human for everyone." Kaia said hiding difficult experiences could leave someone struggling with shame.

Presley Wanted His Mistakes to Mean Something

Presley had begun discussing the purpose behind his openness years earlier. During a 2023 Studio 22 podcast appearance, he described mental health as a major part of his life. "[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 he wanted to use what he had learned to help other people. "That's really what I want to do: help people, whether you're depressed, you're struggling with something that is hurting your body. I mean it could be anything, and there's no judgment."

He also explained what motivated him. "That's what's getting me out of bed these days … is that hope that I've made the mistakes for a lot of people," Presley said.

"If they're like me, well, then they're going to want to do it the hard way. But if they want to listen, then I could save them a lot of hardship and a lot of struggling."

What the Investigation Still Has to Establish

The suspected overdose remains an investigative theory, not the final official cause of death. The Medical Examiner's Office has requested additional testing, including toxicology, and the exact circumstances surrounding Presley's final hours remain under investigation.

Police have interviewed other residents at the facility and are examining where any substances involved may have originated.

There is currently no indication of foul play, according to authorities. For Reza, meanwhile, the records now drawing attention to his past show a very different earlier chapter of his life — one involving drug possession, a teenage girl, weapons, probation and a psychology licensing battle.

The California Board of Psychology ultimately accepted his rehabilitation and allowed him to practice, and he went on to build a career in addiction recovery.

That career eventually led to Resolutions Living. And that is what makes the photographs of Reza going about his seemingly ordinary morning so striking now: behind the doctor leaving his Malibu home with swimming goggles in hand is a history that had already once forced him to prove that he had changed.

A Tragic Story With Questions Still Unanswered

Presley's family has asked for privacy following his death, describing the period as a "very difficult and painful time." His final months showed a young man who was still struggling but was also trying to be honest about that struggle and use it to help others.

Now, his death has placed the recovery residence where he sought help under intense scrutiny — and brought renewed attention to the complicated history of the psychologist who founded it.

For the moment, the biggest question remains unanswered: what exactly happened during the few hours between Presley's arrival and the emergency call the following morning?

Toxicology and the Medical Examiner's remaining work are expected to provide more information. Until then, both Presley's final hours and the full significance of the doctor's troubled past remain part of a story that is still unfolding.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.