Jerry O’Connell got emotional when he recalled a special lunch he had with mentor Rob Reiner after Stand By Me came out in 1986.
Jerry spoke about his meeting with Rob during CBS News Rob Reiner Scenes from a Life, which aired on Sunday, December 21.
The poignant episode honored the celebrated directors life and career after he was found stabbed to death next to his wife Michele at the Los Angeles home.
"Reiner heard I was in L.A., and he took me out to lunch, man," he said as he held back tears. "He didn’t have to do that, you know what I’m saying? It was months after the movie came out. He was a busy man. And he took a 12-year-old me out to lunch just to be like, ‘Thanks so much, what a great movie.’ That lunch meant so much to me. It’s just stuff that kids need to hear."
Jerry went on to dub Reiner, who also made acclaimed films like Misery, the "best director ever" noting that he dabbled in "so many different genres."
"Everything I have in my life is because I was in Stand By Me. Everything," the Tomcats star said.
O’Connell’s Stand by Me costar Kiefer Sutherland also took part in the episode, saying, "Rob Reiner had an incredible point of view. A point of view that was inspired by real humanity, kindness, intellect and all of those elements combined allowed him to become a real American storyteller. I can just only imagine all of the stories he had left to tell."
Stand By Me also starred River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Will Wheaton.
Meanwhile, Rob’ Reiner's son Nick, 32, has been arrested and charged with the killings of him and his wife by stabbing.
