Jake Reiner, the eldest son of beloved Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has opened up about how he plans to remain connected to his late father.
Rob and his wife, Michelle, were found fatally stabbed in their Los Angeles home last December. The couple’s youngest son, Nick, 32, has been charged with their deaths. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
On Wednesday, for the first time since his parents’ tragic deaths, Jake, 35, returned to co-host his Los Angeles Dodgers podcast, The Incline.
During the episode, he reflected on his relationship with his father, sharing that “when it comes to the Dodgers, my first love, it’s something I’ve always connected with my dad first and foremost.”
“It’s something I will continue to connect with him for the rest of my life,” he said.
Jake shared his trepidation about returning to the podcast after his parents’ death, and that he didn’t want to do so until after he published an essay he had written about the loss of his parents.
Last month, Jake penned an emotional Substack article about how his parents were “ripped” away from him. He fondly recalled memories of seeing musicals such as Les Misérables with his parents and watching the Dodgers with his dad.
“I’ll never go to Dodger Stadium again without feeling my dad’s presence and hearing his voice tell me why Shohei Ohtani should never bat in the leadoff spot,” he wrote.
Thanking everybody who has reached out to him with messages of love and support, Jake told podcast listeners: “I’m really honored to be back; it’s been a long time coming.”
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In his essay, he said he felt it was important to “put my words out there and let people in as to the kind of people [my parents] were at home.”
He added that he also hoped his words resonated with others experiencing grief. “I know that not everybody’s grief is the same,” he said, “and even though everyone’s grief is unique to them, I’m sure that there are aspects of everyone’s grief that we can all connect with.”
Rob and Michelle were married from 1989 up until their deaths. Together, they shared three children: Jake, Nick and daughter Romy, 28. Rob also had an adopted daughter, Tracy, the daughter of his first wife, Penny Marshall.
Years ago, Nick was reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and his medication had been adjusted or changed sometime prior to his parents’ deaths.
A preliminary hearing in the murder case is scheduled for September 15, at which time a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence for Nick to stand trial.