Nick Reiner’s Former Yoga Teacher Praises Rob and Michele as Dedicated, Caring Parents

(Left-right:) Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner in 2019; Nick Reiner in 2015.
Credit :

Amanda Edwards/WireImage; George Pimentel/WireImage

NEED TO KNOW

• Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead in their home on December 14; their son Nick has been charged in connection with their murder.
• Alanna Zabel, a yoga instructor and wellness expert, taught the Reiner family when Nick was a child.
• Rob and Michele “were incredibly passionate, all-in parents doing their best,” she recalls, calling Nick’s childhood issues “a perfect storm.”

Childhood struggles faced by Nick Reiner were described as “beyond any of us” by his former yoga teacher.

Alanna Zabel, who provided private yoga lessons to Rob and Michele Reiner and their children in the early 2000s, noted their dedication as parents. She expressed shock over their deaths on December 14, stating that they “were incredibly passionate, all-in parents doing their best.”

Now 32, Nick garnered a reputation for disrupting yoga sessions with “intense issues or meltdowns,” according to Zabel, who taught the family until 2010. “We never could get through one single yoga session without Nicky barging in,” she said.

Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, were found deceased in their Los Angeles residence on a Sunday. Following their deaths, Nick was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Their siblings, Jake and Romy, expressed their profound grief, stating in a December 17 statement, “Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day.”

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner in 2013.

Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

After years of group lessons, Rob and Michele Reiner sought private instruction for Nick to help manage his energy. Zabel remarked on the improvements seen during these tailored sessions, which inspired her to author a children’s book titled *A Chair in the Air*, featuring a character named Nicky who learns to regulate his emotions and become more accountable for his behavior.

Zabel described Nick’s challenges as “a perfect storm,” stressing the family’s relentless efforts to seek help, noting that their attempts were often beyond anyone’s control.

She highlighted Michele’s deep commitment as a mother: “She lived for those kids… She was just very gracious and lovely.”

Nick Reiner in 2024.

Denise Truscello/Getty

Nick Reiner appeared in court on December 17, where his attorney, Alan Jackson, chose not to enter a plea. His arraignment is scheduled to continue on January 7.

An insider close to the Reiners remarked that the family struggled to find stability concerning Nick’s difficulties. “They tried everything—giving him space, keeping him close—but his struggles are so deep… They were such lovely people and tried in every way to help their son,” the insider stated.