A former yoga instructor who worked closely with the Reiner family during Nick Reiner’s childhood is spoke to about early behavioral challenges she witnessed years before the deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner.
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Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Zabel described Nick’s childhood behavior as complex and difficult to manage, characterizing it as “a perfect storm” that resisted simple solutions.
“As hard as they tried to manage it, get help, address it,” she said, “it’s just beyond any of us to be able to diffuse.”
According to Zabel, Rob and Michele Reiner sought additional support rather than disengaging. After years of group lessons, the couple asked her to begin working with Nick privately in an effort to help him regulate his emotions and energy.
“They asked me to teach Nicky privately, which I started to do, to help him to calm down and channel his energy,” she said.
Zabel noted that while there were moments of progress during those one-on-one sessions, the broader challenges persisted.
“Nick’s issues as a child were beyond any of us,” she said, adding that the family consistently explored different approaches to help him.
She described Rob and Michele as deeply involved parents throughout that time. “They were incredibly passionate, all-in parents doing their best,” Zabel said, singling out Michele as a particularly devoted presence.
“She lived for those kids,” Zabel added. “She was very gracious and lovely.”
Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14. Nick Reiner, 32, was later arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths. He has not entered a plea, and the case remains ongoing. An arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 7.
In a statement released earlier this week, the couple’s other children described the loss as “horrific and devastating,” adding that “words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day.”
Zabel said the news of Rob and Michele’s deaths was “shocking,” emphasizing that the couple never stopped trying to help their son. “They tried everything,” she said. “Some things are simply beyond what any parent can control.”