A close friend of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele has shared the Christmas card she received from them containing a heartfelt message, written just days before their deaths.
Hollywood descended into grief earlier this month after the When Harry Met Sally director, 78, and his photographer partner, 70, were found dead at their home in Los Angeles.
As more harrowing details came to light, the couple’s causes of death were revealed to be ‘multiple sharp force injuries’ in a ‘homicide’. Their son, Nick, was later charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Tributes proceeded to flood social media and the press from the industry’s biggest stars and those who knew the Reiners, with the latest coming from Neda Soderqvist, who worked as a trainer for Michele.
Taking to Instagram, she shared a photo of the handwritten card she was sent in the mail, which arrived on Monday.
It read: ‘Dear Neda – What can I say after all these years. We love each other, are mad at each other, and then just move on!
‘And it always works out!’
‘I hope you have a great holiday with your family who adore you,’ the card concluded. ‘Love Michele and Rob’.
Soderqvist also received a Christmas bonus, adding in her caption: ‘Even from heaven, they are still making sure that everyone receives their bonuses and what really truly touches my soul and heart are the cards that Michele wrote me and one of the funny things about her was each time she sent me a bonus she would make me promise her that I would utilise it for myself and not give it away.’
She vowed to ‘keep’ $100 (£74.44) of the bonus and donate the rest in Michele’s honour to one of the ‘most inspiring foundations that [she] knows [Michele] loves.’
‘Thank you for being my best friend ride or die,’ Soderqvist added.
‘Someone who taught me self-worth self-love and I will keep your legacy going forever and I’ll give you the oath that I’ll be here for your children.’
Following the devastating news of the Reiners’ deaths, Soderqvist had penned a tribute in which she said she and Michele ‘were inseparable five days a week for 15 years’.
She explained that their relationship was, therefore, stronger than just trainer-student, but they were ‘family’.
‘Their love and support for my family have been unwavering, and I’m forever grateful,’ she wrote. ‘Michele’s heart overflowed with love, kindness, and compassion. I’ll share more about her later, but her impact on my life is profound.’
Soderqvist went on to request privacy for the Reiner family, especially for adult daughter Romy, for whom she is a godmother. Romy discovered her parents’ bodies.
‘Rob, your dancing days will live on through me, and I’ll cherish our conversations forever,’ she wrote, expressing how ‘heartbroken’ she is.
In a later interview with People, Soderqvist praised the couple’s 36-year marriage: ‘They were exactly as if they had just met. Every time they left my studio, they held hands.’
Youngest Reiner son Nick is currently being held without bail, having been picked up by police several hours after his parents’ bodies were found.
Nick, 32, has a history of addiction struggles and was reportedly being treated for schizophrenia, a serious mental health condition that affects how people think, feel, and behave. It can also cause hallucinations and delusions.
Legal experts have weighed in over recent weeks, suggesting that Nick might plead insanity in his case. However, the circumstances surrounding this could be ‘difficult’.
First, though, he must be medically cleared by prison officials to enter his plea.
Following his arrest, Nick was placed on suicide watch in solitary confinement. If convicted, his charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. He could also face the death penalty.
Nick’s arraignment has been scheduled for January 7, 2026.
Meanwhile, a memorial service honouring Rob and Michele is due to take place, with his family set to share information ‘at a later date’.
A spokesperson for children Jake, 34, and Romy, 27, added on December 22: ‘Jake and Romy Reiner remain grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received.’
Their previous statement requested that the public remain respectful as they grieve.
‘Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,’ they shared on December 17.
‘The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.
‘We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.’
Rob and Michele’s death certificates show that they have been cremated after their bodies were released to their loved ones, who plan for a small, private funeral service.
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