Corinne Vien

And while the dynamics within his family may have shifted a bit over the years, he found closeness with his aunts and uncles. Specifically, Jake was very close with his mom's sister, his aunt Nancy. But then she too became sick. A very sudden cancer diagnosis.

And while the dynamics within his family may have shifted a bit over the years, he found closeness with his aunts and uncles. Specifically, Jake was very close with his mom's sister, his aunt Nancy. But then she too became sick. A very sudden cancer diagnosis.

The death of his aunt while dealing with his mother's cancer, it was just all really hard on Jake. It felt like everyone close to him was leaving him or at risk of leaving. His aunt passed just after his bar mitzvah, another relative died on his birthday, and his mom was battling breast cancer. And now he was seeing less and less of his step-siblings.

The death of his aunt while dealing with his mother's cancer, it was just all really hard on Jake. It felt like everyone close to him was leaving him or at risk of leaving. His aunt passed just after his bar mitzvah, another relative died on his birthday, and his mom was battling breast cancer. And now he was seeing less and less of his step-siblings.

His dynamic with his half-brother Max grew to be even more difficult.

His dynamic with his half-brother Max grew to be even more difficult.

When I spoke to Eli, he also recounted a time that he had set Max and Jake up to live together in an apartment when they were both young adults. And when Jake was unable to come up with his half of the rent, Max was so angry that he beat up Jake. So previously hearing of this fistfight between Max and Jake's would-be wife Ellen was unsurprising, but also made me a little bit scared for Ellen.

When I spoke to Eli, he also recounted a time that he had set Max and Jake up to live together in an apartment when they were both young adults. And when Jake was unable to come up with his half of the rent, Max was so angry that he beat up Jake. So previously hearing of this fistfight between Max and Jake's would-be wife Ellen was unsurprising, but also made me a little bit scared for Ellen.

But at this point in the story, Jake hasn't met Ellen yet. We will get there in a few minutes.

But at this point in the story, Jake hasn't met Ellen yet. We will get there in a few minutes.

The entrepreneurial spirit has really always been a part of Jake. Jake didn't start out dealing drugs. It all began in high school with a couple cans of soda. He saw a need for something, he worked to fill it. I guess we could say that Jake has always been the connect.

The entrepreneurial spirit has really always been a part of Jake. Jake didn't start out dealing drugs. It all began in high school with a couple cans of soda. He saw a need for something, he worked to fill it. I guess we could say that Jake has always been the connect.

So I asked Jake how he started selling, because how do you go from selling soda that your dad helps you buy to being a rather big dealer in the Boston area?

So I asked Jake how he started selling, because how do you go from selling soda that your dad helps you buy to being a rather big dealer in the Boston area?

And then one kid asked Jake if he could get him weed.

And then one kid asked Jake if he could get him weed.

And so he started buying weed, not just to smoke himself, but to sell to the other kids.

And so he started buying weed, not just to smoke himself, but to sell to the other kids.

So maybe that weed that was in Jake's locker was his after all.

So maybe that weed that was in Jake's locker was his after all.