Who is Derek Otcasek? The Real Truth About Ric Ocasek's Son

Derek Otcasek is the son of the late American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer Ric Ocasek. Ric was mostly known for being a member of the popular band The Cars. In the meantime, people are also curious to know if Otcasek is following in his father's footsteps. 

Derek was born in the early 1980s and is currently in his 40s. He is not the only child of Ric. So, how many siblings does Otcasek have? Also, know how did his father die?  

To find the answers to your questions, stay with us till the end.  

When Was Derek Otcasek Born? His Bio and Age 

He was born in 1981 in the United States. As of 2023, Derek is 42 years of age. As discussed earlier, Derek Otcasek was the son of two caring parents named Ric Ocasek and Suzanne Ocasek. However, most of his early details are yet to be revealed. 

In the meantime, his late dad Ric was born on March 23, 1944, in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. He never revealed the name of his parents to the media. Therefore, we aren't sure who his parents were. 

Talking about Derek's ethnicity, the star kid is of mixed ancestry. He has Czech, Irish, and Welsh in his ancestry. Similar to Derek, his father Ric was also of mixed ancestry. And Derek's nationality is American.

Is Derek Educated? His School and College 

Derek is a very qualified man who graduated from many institutions. At first, he joined The Rivers School in 1996. He was part of the school for four years before graduating in 2000. 

More than fifteen years later, Derek enrolled at Bunker Hill CC. There, he studied computer science. Then, in 2018, he attended UMass Boston. He graduated from the institution with a degree in bachelor in computer science.

How Many Siblings Does He Have?

Speaking of his sibling, Derek has one brother named Eron Otcasek. Similar to Ric, Eron is a musician. Besides singing, he is also an actor.  So far, he has played in many movies and tv series. 

Derek also has four half-siblings named Jonathan Raven Ocasek, Oliver Orion Ocasek, Adam Ocasek, and Christopher Ocasek. According to some online sources, they all have a very good relationship with one another. 

Derek Otcasek Is A Software Engineer By Profession; Details on His Career 

Derek is a software developer and engineer. Previously, he used to work for the University of Massachusetts Boston as a software developer. In the same manner, his other works included making software for Library Systems and Discovery ServicesSoftware.

In Dec 2020, Ric Ocasek's son Derek joined Aptima, Inc where he still works. There, he works as an associate software engineer. Derek has been working for the company for more than 2 years as of 2023. 

How Did Derek Orcasek's Dad Ric Ocasek Start His Career?

Ocasek and Orr moved to Boston in the early 1970s after playing in a number of bands in Columbus and Ann Arbor Michigan. They started a folk-rock group named Milkwood there that resembled Crosby, Stills, and Nash. How's the Weather, the one album they put out on Paramount Records at the beginning of 1973, didn't do well on the charts.

Greg Hawkes, a keyboardist for Future Cars, contributed to Milkwood's record. Following the dissolution of Milkwood, Ocasek founded Richard and the Rabbits with Orr and Hawkes.

During this time, Ocasek and Orr also gave an acoustic duet performance. Some of the songs they performed later became classic Cars tunes. Later, Ocasek and Orr formed the band Cap'n Swing with guitarist Elliot Easton.

His Band Started Getting Recognition

Maxanne Sartori, a disc jockey for WBCN, soon became aware of Cap'n Swing and started playing songs from their demo tape on her show. After numerous record labels turned down Cap'n Swing, Ocasek fired the bassist and drummer and decided to start a new band that more closely resembled his writing style.

David Robinson, best known for his work with the Modern Lovers, took up playing bass while Orr switched to drums. In late 1976, Hawkes came back to play keyboards, and the group changed its name to The Cars.

How Did Derek Otcasek Father Die?

On September 15, 2019, Ric's estranged wife, Paulina Porizkova, discovered him dead in the townhouse where they were still living after even filing for divorce in May of that year. Likewise, at the time of his death, he was 75 years old. 

Ric passed away naturally, according to the Chief Medical Examiner's office. He had coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease. 

Is Derek Otcasek Married? Know About His Wife 

Yes, Derek is a married man who has been married to his wife Madison Mitchell for some time now. The couple exchanged their vows on December 3rd, 2022. And their wedding was held in Austin, Texas. 

However, other details about their marriage and first meeting are yet to be revealed. But, some sources say Derek and his wife Madison dated for some time before the couple's nuptials. 

On the other hand, his father was married to a beautiful woman named Paulina Porizkova. However, they were in a process of getting a divorce at the time of his death.

Derek Otcasek's Net Worth

Talking about his net worth, Derek has an estimated wealth of $700,000. He earned most of his money from his career as a software engineer and developer. On the other hand, Ric had an estimated net worth of $40 million at the time of his death.

Key Takeaways 

• Derek was born in 1981 in the United States.
• As of 2023, Otcasek is currently 42 years of age.
• He was the son of Ric Ocasek and Suzanne Ocasek. 
• Derek is of mixed ancestry.
• Otcasek has a brother named Eron Ocasek.
• Derek is a software engineer and developer.
• Otcasek's father died on On September 15, 2019.
• He has an estimated net worth of $700,000.
• Otcasek isn't married to anyone officially.