What is Rob Reiner’s most iconic movie?
Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner’s deaths have rocked Hollywood, but some of their most iconic work remains remembered.
Jake Reiner, son of the late Rob and Michele Singer Reiner, has spoken out about his parents’ deaths in an emotional new essay.
“Nothing can prepare you for what it feels like to lose both of your parents at the same time, in an instant. It’s too devastating for you to comprehend,” Jake Reiner writes in his Substack essay “Mom and Dad,” published on Friday, April 24. “I still have to wake up every morning and tell myself, no, this is not a dream. This is truly a living nightmare for me.”
Rob Singer Reiner and Michelle Reiner shared Jake with son Nick Reiner, daughter Romy, and Rob Reiner’s adopted daughter Tracy Reiner.
The wife of the acclaimed director and producer of “The Princess Bride” was found dead in her Southern California home on December 14th. Days later, prosecutors filed criminal charges against the son, Nick Reiner, for allegedly “stabbing” his parents.
“So much was taken from me that day,” Jake Reiner wrote. “My parents won’t be at my wedding, they won’t be able to hold my future grandchildren, and they won’t be able to see me building the successful career that I still desire. That breaks my heart and infuriates me.”
Jake Reiner also opened up about the moment he learned of his parents’ death.
“On the afternoon of December 14, I was at Union Station to attend a celebration of the life of one of my best friends, Christian Anderson, who passed away in October. Then my sister, Romy, called me and told me that my father had passed away. A few minutes later, she called me back and told me that my mother had also passed away.”
Jake Reiner says his parents didn’t deserve to be killed
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced at a press conference on December 16 that Jake Reiner’s brother, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstances of multiple murders of his parents.
The 32-year-old screenwriter also faces a special charge of using a dangerous and deadly weapon – a knife – in the couple’s murder. In the special circumstances of multiple murders, a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty may apply.
“I can’t even walk in my parents’ shoes, but what I’m always reminded of is how scared they must have been,” Jake Reiner wrote on Substack.
“They were the last people in the world who deserved what happened to them. They deserved to be loved, they deserved to be respected, and most of all they deserved to be appreciated for how much they gave to all three of us and to the world.”
He added: “They should have been able to enjoy the rest of their lives in peace, growing old together. Instead, that was taken away from them, me and Romy. There was nothing we could do about it.”
Jake Reiner pays tribute to ‘hero’ Rob Reiner and ‘best friend’ Michelle Singer Reiner
Jake Reiner reflected on his loving relationship with his parents in an essay for Substack, calling his father Rob Reiner a “hero.”
“In public, my father was the same beautiful person he was at home,” Jake Reiner wrote. “He was sincere and passionate, and his sense of humor was always my sense of humor.”
He added that his father “supported everything I wanted to do in life,” including his decision to pursue an acting career.
“When I transitioned from broadcasting to acting, I was nervous because I didn’t know how he would react,” Reiner recalls. “I think I should have known, because all he wanted was for me to be happy and love what I do. I wish he and I could have worked on the project together from start to finish.”
Jake Reiner said of his mother that Michelle Singer Reiner is his “best friend” and “the heart of our entire family.”
“She planned Thanksgiving every year, complained every year that it was too hard, vowed never to host it again, and then promptly hosted it the following year,” he wrote. “She was the one who planned all the trips we took as a family, and they were always perfectly planned. She had a passion for life that most people would like to achieve.”
Jake Reiner also reflected on the various outings he took with his parents during his childhood, such as playing baseball games with his father and going to see Broadway musicals with his mother.
Jake Reiner wrote, “I never forget that my parents gave me an amazing experience that most people never get to experience.” “But I would trade a Dodger game, a Broadway show, a vacation for just one more hour to talk to them and say goodbye.”
Jake Reiner speaks candidly about his ‘horrifying’ grief over the death of his parents
Jake Reiner also opened up about the emotional aftermath of his parents’ deaths.
“Every day since then has been horrible,” Jake Reiner wrote. “Every meeting we attend, every person we speak to, every tear we shed, every movement we make is connected to the murder of our parents.
“In the midst of trying to process the most traumatic moments of our lives, the world demands meetings, paperwork, decisions, and explanations, as if documentation is necessary before mourning.”
In February, Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty to the murder charges brought against him. His next hearing is scheduled for April 29.
“We lost more than half our family that night in the most violent way imaginable,” Jake Reiner wrote. “Losing a parent is devastating, sure, but nothing compares to losing both of your parents at the same time, and having a younger brother at the center of it all. It’s almost impossible to process.”
Jake Reiner also asked the public for “love and compassion” as his family navigates the coming months.
“I understand that people have questions about what happened, and some of those answers will come in time,” Reiner concluded. “But some parts of this belong only to our family, and keeping them private is the only way to protect what little remains of what was taken from us.”
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributed by Brian Alexander and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
