‘I STILL FEEL LUCKY’
THE STAR OPENS UP ABOUT A DIFFICULT TIME
Christie Hayes knows how idyllic her life is. She has a radio job she adores, reminisces about her years on Home and Away in the noughties with the greatest fondness, and is currently renovating her dream home with her husband, radio announcer Justin Coombes-pearce.
Most importantly, her growing boys Hendrix, nine, and Harley, eight, are happy and healthy too.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” Christie, 37, tells New Idea when we catch up at her home just outside of Hobart.
Becoming reflective, Christie says the “stars all aligned” last December, when she and Justin found out she was pregnant. Hendrix and Harley are Christie’s sons with her ex-husband Daniel White, so the couple were thrilled to discover they were expecting their first child together.
“We had been trying for a little while, but it was still a surprise when our baby came,” she explains.
Christie and Justin, who wed in 2021, excitedly began to plan the nursery. They also bought a special Christmas decoration for the baby they’d nicknamed ‘Sunflower’. It read ‘Mummy and Daddy can’t wait to meet you in 2024.’
Sadly, just as the couple were beginning to share their joyous news with friends and family, Christie experienced a miscarriage.
“Losing our baby ripped my heart out,” she says. “Justin was devastated too.”
Seven days after her pregnancy loss, Christie bravely posted about her experience on Instagram.
“It was a no-brainer for me to speak out,” Christie says. “I felt like if I didn’t say anything about our pregnancy, our baby doubly didn’t exist.”
She was gobsmacked by the response. Thousands of women, and men, reached out to share similar experiences.
“It’s not something any of us want to ever go through but I was really touched that people felt safe enough to tell me their stories,” Christie reveals.
Almost five months on, Christie is optimistic about her future, but still has frequent ‘what if ’ pangs.
“By now, I should be heavily pregnant,” she says. “I still cry if I need to. I let myself grieve.”
As for trying to fall pregnant again, Christie says she and Justin are hopeful but realistic.
“We are living and loving our lives and believe if it happens, it will happen when it’s meant to,” she says.
‘It was a no-brainer for me to speak out’
Work and her family have also helped Christie take her mind off her loss. The star, who played Kirsty Sutherland on Home and Away between 2000 and 2009, now co-hosts the Hit Network’s Dan & Christie breakfast show,
“The boys keep me busy,” she says with a smile. The home reno project is a great distraction too.
“My radio job brought me to Tassie two years ago and it’s the best move I’ve ever made,” Christie says. “Justin and I were lucky enough to buy a small home which we are slowly transforming. I feel very settled here.”
Christie’s also caught up with a few of her ex Home and Away castmates since relocating from New South Wales.
“One of the first people I saw when I moved here was Norman Coburn,” she says. “I’ve also caught up with Bonnie Sveen and Lisa Gormley too. It’s great to have that readymade friendship group – and support – around.”