Living with Max

‘It feels terrible for your son to want to hurt you so bad that you bleed, and to look into his beautiful eyes and see nothing but hatred. What mother could deal with that? Not me, that’s for sure. I loved my son, but I was no longer sure whether I was the right mother for this job.’

Chloe Maxwell seemed to be living the dream: discovered at sixteen as a model, she went on to become a household name as a TV personality. Then she met rugby star Mat Rogers and a great romance was born.

Inside, though, Chloe was fighting her own demons: her parents’ separation in her teens had led to a deep sense of insecurity. Then Mat’s father, football legend Steve Rogers, died after taking prescription drugs and alcohol.

Chloe treated her wounds with an ‘alcohol Band-aid’ until the birth of Mat and Chloe’s son, Max, heralded a new beginning. But it soon became clear that Max was not like other boys: the few words he learned faded away, his rages transcended any regular toddler tantrums, and he seemed to exist in a bubble, cut off from everyone.

Heartbreakingly honest and moving, LIVING WITH MAX is the story of how Chloe and her family learned to face the challenges of autism and release the little boy locked within.

About the Author

Chloe Maxwell is an Australian model well-known as 'The Jeans West Girl' in a Jeans West campaign. She was discovered by chance, then started her modeling career which saw her make the transition to hosting as a television presenter. She is married to Gold Coast Titans player Mat Rogers.