Christie Hayes: A Mother’s Journey with Autism
For beloved Australian actress and radio host Christie Hayes, May has been a whirlwind of activity. From making national headlines by questioning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about his efforts to combat domestic violence, to dedicating her time to raising awareness for autism, Christie has remained at the forefront of important conversations.
Central to her passion is the Walk for Autism, a cause that holds deep significance for her. As a mother to 11-year-old Hendrix, affectionately known as Hendy, who lives with Autism Level 3, Christie has made it her mission to support others facing similar challenges.
Milestones That Define a Mother’s Love
Christie recently opened up to Woman’s Day about the emotional journey of raising her son. She shared some of the milestones that have brought her immense pride, highlighting the power of unconditional love.
“I remember when he was four and he said ‘mum’,” Christie recalled. “I remember when he was about seven, it started to turn into ‘mummy’, and when he was about 10, it was a very difficult to understand, but I could get the idea of him repeating me when I said ‘I love you’ and he’d say, ‘I love you mummy’. That one, as any mother can understand, was probably one that has and always will stay with me.”
While Hendrix is largely non-verbal, Christie emphasizes that a lack of speech does not equate to a lack of substance. “I see milestones every day where I think wow, just because he can’t speak doesn’t mean he doesn’t have so much to say,” she said. “Being able to recognize that even though we can live in a world where there is limited speech or someone we love is nonverbal, it doesn’t mean that they’re not capable of incredible things.”
Being a Voice for Her Son
Christie believes her most important role as a mother is to be a voice for her son and others living with autism. “My role as Hendy’s mum is to be his voice, because he doesn’t have one all the time,” she said. “And to be a voice for anyone who needs support with living with autism.”
Navigating the Diagnosis
Like many parents, Christie’s journey into the world of neurodiversity began with a learning curve. As a first-time mum, she initially didn’t know what signs to look for. It was her own mother, an educator, who gently suggested an assessment.
“I noticed that it’s not that he was regressing, it’s just that he wasn’t progressing,” Christie recalled. “He started to say a few words, but then it stopped … I didn’t actually know what I was looking for. You don’t know what you’re looking for until you know to look for it.”
While well-meaning friends would tell her, “Don’t worry, I’m sure he doesn’t have autism,” Christie believes society needs to shift away from treating a diagnosis like a tragedy. “I know that those people meant well, but I really think nowadays we get rid of that terminology that ‘don’t worry he won’t have it’ like it’s a bad thing,” she said.
“I won’t pretend like it’s a bed of roses when you find out your child is different, and in my case, my son has an intellectual disability with his autism. Of course it’s difficult, and you will grieve the loss that you expected your child to have, but there are so many places that we can go with the discovery of the diagnosis and how we can support people out there that need encouragement.”
A Wish for Kindness
As Hendrix navigates his world, whether it’s his tech-savvy nature or burgeoning photography skills, Christie has stopped apologising for his neurodivergent joy. “I used to apologise a lot, but the older I got I just went, ‘No, we shouldn’t have to apologise for our child’s behaviour’. So long as they’re obviously not hurting anyone… children with autism are allowed to make noise. They’re allowed to squeal. They’re allowed to be their unique self.”
“I hope society can be a little kinder… just letting people live their life and not judging people just because they sound different or they look different is what I welcome from society.”
Ultimately, Christie has one simple, beautiful hope for Hendy’s future: “Honestly, I just hope to see Hendy happy. Whatever that looks like.”
Christie’s Dream: A Return to Home and Away
While Christie’s primary focus is advocacy, she also has high hopes for a return to her creative roots—with a meaningful twist. Christie revealed she would gladly head back to Summer Bay if the opportunity arose, and she already has the perfect, groundbreaking storyline in mind for her iconic character, Kirsty Sutherland.
“[Kirsty] was always outspoken and feisty. I thought maybe she could be a lawyer, or even maybe we realise and explore with her that her own son is on the spectrum. I thought it could be a nice way of including something that happens to so many people in this world and in Australia especially, and have that nice representation on screen.”
You can support families like Christie’s and help raise vital awareness by donating to the Walk for Autism campaign today.
