Rob Reiner cemented his place in movie history with When Harry Met Sally, the beloved 1989 romantic comedy starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. While the film became iconic for its heartfelt ending, it almost ended very differently—until Reiner’s real life changed the story.Reiner and his wife, Michele, were recently found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home. Authorities are still investigating the incident as an apparent homicide.

At the time When Harry Met Sally was made, Reiner was newly single after his divorce from Penny Marshall and unsure he would ever find lasting love again. That uncertainty shaped the original script. In early drafts, Harry and Sally didn’t end up together. Instead, they met years later, talked briefly, and walked away.

But everything changed when Reiner met Michele during production of the film. The two fell in love, and that experience reshaped his outlook—and the movie itself. Speaking to CNN earlier this year, Reiner explained that meeting Michele made him believe in happy endings again. As a result, he rewrote the finale into the now-famous New Year’s Eve scene, where Harry rushes through a party to confess his love.

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody,” Harry says in the film, “you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” Reiner later said simply, “I met my wife while we were making the film—and I changed the ending.” The couple remained married for 35 years.

Rest in peace, Rob and Michele.