Jerry was the first born son of Delores Margaret (Rayner) DeSantis and Jerome Dennis DeSantis. Jerry was born on a Wednesday, the first day of Lent at Deaconess Hospital in Detroit. Delores said she had a challenging birth and she should have had a C-section. Apparently, he was a cone-head baby at 8lbs 5oz and 19in. long. He was bald with blue eyes. Delores felt good having the best Ob/Gyn doctor in town at the time - Dr. Braun.