He has his father’s iconic visage, but his path has been built through unspeakable sorrow, unwavering activism, and the history of a family altered by tragedy.
Jake Glaser, the sole surviving child of “Starsky & Hutch” actor Paul Michael Glaser and AIDS campaigner Elizabeth Glaser, has overcome personal tragedy to become a forceful voice in the global battle against HIV/AIDS.
Jake’s story is a tribute to survival, growth, and healing, and it’s why so many people now look to him for hope.
Paul rose to prominence in the 1970s, when he played Detective Dave Starsky in the popular television series “Starsky & Hutch.”
The program, which included vehicle chases and streetwise charm, became an international success, broadcasting in 67 countries and establishing Paul as a pop culture star. However, although the world recognized him as a rising celebrity, his personal life quickly deteriorated.
Paul met Elizabeth in 1974, shortly after filming the pilot episode of “Starsky & Hutch.” The couple married in 1980 and began a family the next year.
However, Elizabeth hemorrhaged at the birth of their first child, Ariel, in 1981 and required a seven-pint blood transfusion. Unfortunately, the blood covertly carried the HIV virus, which the family did not discover until years later.
Doctors discovered Elizabeth’s HIV status after Ariel got unwell in 1986. The couple was heartbroken to discover that both Ariel and Jake, their baby boy born in 1984, had caught the virus. What began as the birth of a family swiftly turned into a medical catastrophe that would shape the rest of their life.
Elizabeth turned her sadness into activity. In 1988, she co-founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) with friends Susan DeLaurentis and Susie Zeegen.
During a period when ignorance and fear dominated HIV/AIDS discussions, the foundation prioritized research, treatment, and public awareness. Elizabeth used Paul’s support and platform to share their family’s experience publicly, which helped to humanize the illness.
Despite their attempts, Ariel died in 1988 at the age of seven. Elizabeth fought the cancer until 1994, when she died at the age of 47. Jake was just 10 years old at the time, and he was the only member of his family who still had HIV.
Jake suffered from survivor’s guilt and mental uncertainty after losing his mother and sister before the age of eleven. The widespread misunderstanding of HIV/AIDS at the time intensified his isolation.
“I resented my mom and sister for what I thought was abandonment,” Jake admitted in a 2021 interview. “And I beat myself up thinking, ‘Why couldn’t I have saved them?'” Notably, during this time, he received an acting credit in the 1996 film “Kazaam,” although he appears to have never performed again.
The pain of losing a member of his family persisted throughout adolescence. By his adolescent years, Jake had begun to rebel in hazardous ways, most notably by discreetly dumping his daily HIV meds down the toilet.
He subsequently discovered that, despite missing dosages, his immune system remained steady thanks to a unique genetic mutation of the CCR5 gene acquired from his father. This mutation made it more difficult for HIV to attack his body’s defenses. Although his health stayed stable for some years, the emotional consequences of his actions finally caught up with him.
At 16, his father made the tough decision to admit him to an adolescent treatment clinic. Jake began to comprehend the impact his actions had on those he loved.
“I finally understood how my actions had impacted the people around me, and a lot of that came from the tireless love that everybody in my life has always given me,” he told reporters.
Despite his turbulent youth, Jake found meaning in the foundation that saved his life. Jake decided to pay a visit to EGPAF’s offices in Washington, D.C., after receiving a call from its CEO in the early 2000s. What started as a little job answering phones has grown into a devoted profession in activism.
However, his dedication to the organization grew when he learned that the CCR5 was no longer shielding him as it once did. That’s when he realized he was not “invincible.”
Jake currently works as a foundation ambassador, touring the world to meet with young people, mentor HIV-positive youngsters, and promote awareness about testing and treatment. He also works with his father, who remains an honorary chairman of the EGPAF board.
“My mom and dad showed me that if you want to change the world, you’ve got to have some fun doing it,” Jake told me” “I get to carry that on with my dad now.”
Since then, Elizabeth’s nonprofit has delivered HIV testing, counseling, and drugs to over 32 million women, preventing mother-to-child transmission. EGPAF now serves 1.8 million patients in need of life-saving therapies.
For Jake, these numbers are more than simply statistics; they demonstrate that his family’s pain resulted in long-term, concrete change.
As Jake became more involved in activism, his father continued to handle the emotional weight of his family’s experience. Paul has always credited spiritual growth with enabling him to bear the loss of Elizabeth and Ariel.
“It brought me to a place where I had to choose whether I was going to be a victim or whether I was going to see it as an opportunity to grow — to grow my heart and my capacity for love,” he told reporters.
Paul, 82, still feels linked to his late wife and children. “I have conversations with them occasionally,” he admitted. “It is usually, ‘I love you.'” How are you? It is not a question of providing a literal answer, such as words. It’s more about recognizing their presence within me.
Following Elizabeth’s death, Paul married Tracy Barone and welcomed another daughter, Zoe, in 1997. The couple split in 2007.
Despite a loss in performing possibilities owing to ageism, Paul has pursued other creative interests. He wrote and illustrated the children’s book “Chrystallia and the Source of Light,” which he refers to as a metaphorical autobiography.
In addition to painting, he experiments with digital art. “The one thing that ties it all together — acting, directing, writing, and painting—is storytelling,” he told me.
Jake has spent the last four years living on Venice Beach with his girlfriend, Kerry Corridan, a digital marketer who moved into the flat below him in the same duplex. Their relationship began informally but got stronger as Kerry became more involved in Jake’s life, helping at EGPAF events and listening to his presentations.
“I said to myself, ‘If she is supportive of this, perhaps she will be supportive of me,'” Jake told us. “The biggest concern is gaining approval, fearing that someone might reject you due to your social standing.” “I know it’s been mine for a long time.”
In terms of health, owing to modern medication, Jake now just needs two little tablets every day to keep his viral load undetectable and avoid transmission.
With his illness stable and love blossoming, he began to dream of a once-unreachable future. “That would be the ultimate dream for my parents, to have little Glasers running around,” he shared with me.
Jake has also spent the last few years working at Cool Foods, a plant-based food firm where he can harness his entrepreneurial enthusiasm. When he’s not working or advocating, he enjoys surfing along the California coast, which reminds him of his mother, who adored the water.
Despite Jake’s impressive accomplishments, many vintage TV aficionados cannot help but notice his resemblance to his famous father. On Instagram, one individual said, “You look just like your father X. [sic”] Another person commented, “There you look like your dad.”
Jake’s path resonates emotionally, surpassing mere physical similarities. One follower expressed admiration: “Your mum would be so proud of you. ❤️”
Jake now speaks with hope and confidence, despite his initial doubts about his survival. He values candor when disclosing his diagnosis and urges others to do the same. “Know your status,” he says. “We’ll applaud you if you’re positive and take your meds.”
He also discusses his story with wit and humility, frequently surprising audiences with genuine statements such as, “You may ask me whatever you want. I have a healthy sex life. For him, transparency is more than just a therapeutic tool; it’s also a weapon against stigma.
Furthermore, while reflecting on a painful history, Jake shows thankfulness. “I wouldn’t go back in the past and change a thing,” he told me. “Everything that happened to my family happened for a reason.”
As a result, this individual is not just Paul Michael Glaser’s lookalike son. He is a living example of the power of love, resilience, and activism, as well as a beacon for the next generation in the battle to eliminate AIDS.
