George Clooney has been friends and business partners with Rande Gerber for years. On September 20, Rande’s 27-year-old son, Presley Gerber, died unexpectedly. In the aftermath of his tragic death, George and his wife, Amal Clooney, have reportedly been providing a lot of support to Rande and his wife, Cindy Crawford.
And according to a new report, the devastating loss has also made him think about how he parents his own children.
One strict rule that George and Amal have for their kids seems even more essential now.
According to a new report from the Daily Mail, because of George’s close relationship with Presley’s parents, he was basically like an uncle to Presley. The loss has been absolutely devastating. It has also reaffirmed his desire to keep his own children out of the spotlight. George and Amal welcomed their twins, Ella and Alexander, in 2017.
Since then, they’ve made a conscious effort to keep them out of the public eye. They will continue to do so. “George and Amal are deeply saddened by the death of Presley and it serves as another reminder that they will never put a spotlight on their twins Alex and Ella,” a source recently told the Daily Mail.
At the same time, an insider explained that this is nothing new for their family. “George and Amal agreed early on that they would keep their children’s lives as private as possible, so that means photos of them don’t get out, no red carpets, no Instagram posts about their kids, and they only speak about them in general terms,” a source explained.
Presley died from a suspected drug overdose.
Prior to his death, he had been open about his struggles with his mental health and substance abuse. While he did grow up in the public eye and acknowledged that it at times came with a lot of pressure and scrutiny, he spoke about feeling more free after allowing himself to be vulnerable. “The most free I felt was when I was finally honest with myself,” he said three months before his death, per People.
He was also very close with his parents. After his death, a source told People, “Cindy and Rande could not have been more supportive of Presley. They were always there for him and did everything they could to help him. The family has always been incredibly close, and Presley was deeply loved.”
George and Amal want to ensure that Rande and Cindy know they’re not alone as they grieve.
“George, Amal, and a few of their other close friends have been taking shifts staying with the family so they aren’t alone,” a source told People. Another source told the publication that George and Amal are also offering practical support. The insider mentioned that George was extremely close to Presley as well.
“(George and Amal are) helping with arrangements and whatever else the family needs,” the insider told the publication. “George has always been very close with both Kaia (Rande and Cindy’s daughter) and Presley.”
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