George Clooney spoke publicly for the first time Friday about the death of Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, calling the loss one of the hardest things his family has endured.

Speaking at his Clooney Foundation for Justice awards event, Clooney told Entertainment Tonight that Presley's death is one of the most devastating things that's happened to our family, according to Fox News. Clooney and Crawford have been close friends for decades, and Clooney has described staying in close contact with Presley over the years, including during harder periods in his life.

"ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY."

Presley died Sept. 20 at a rehab facility in Santa Monica following a suspected overdose. His autopsy has since been completed, but the cause of death has been listed as deferred pending further review, according to entertainment outlets tracking the case.

George and his wife, Amal Clooney, flew to Los Angeles shortly after Presley's death to be with the family. A source told People that Clooney, Amal and several of the family's other close friends have been taking shifts staying with the family so they aren't alone, underscoring how tightly the Crawford-Gerber and Clooney families have remained connected since Presley and his twin sister, Kaia Gerber, were children, according to Yahoo Entertainment.

Crawford and Gerber have not made extended public remarks since their son's death. Clooney's comments mark the most detailed public acknowledgment yet from someone close to the family, as friends continue to rally around them during what he described as an unimaginably difficult month.