Carrie Bickmore has detailed her unexpected “sadness” on her son Oliver’s 18th birthday.
The radio host, 44, shares Oliver with her late husband Greg Lange, who died in 2010 after a decade-long battle with brain cancer.
She also shares daughters Evie, nine, and Addie, six, with her ex Chris Walker.
And on Thursday, Carrie marked a major milestone as Oliver turned 18.
But it wasn’t all smiles and joy as Carrie detailed her unexpected “tsunami of sadness” on the day.
Carrie admitted she wasn’t ready to let her son go into adulthood in an emotional Instagram post.
Alongside a throwback picture of herself kissing Oliver on the cheek, she wrote: “My son is turning 18 and the tsunami of sadness was something I was not expecting.”
She added: “‘Tomorrow’, is every mum’s best friend,” before listing things she wished she had done – from baking more to being on her phone less and being “present more”.
“I thought I had more tomorrows,” she poignantly continued.
“We’ve had our last school summer holidays together. Our last drives as an L-plater. Friends are more exciting than family.”
“They say you have to let them go to keep them close. I’m not ready to let him go.
“I have raised him to be independent, to dream big (he wants to be a pilot), to cook for himself, wash his own clothes and empty the bins.
“I did all this for a ‘tomorrow’ that I thought was a lifetime away. But it’s here.
“My little boy is a man. And I wish I could do it all over again.”
Carrie was flooded with supportive comments from her celebrity friends.
Julie Goodwin said: “The grief is real…but the gifts keep coming.”
Author Maggie Dent penned: “Carrie letting them go is the greatest gift you can give your boy. Then he will return as a fully individuated man. The love will always connect you. Huge Maggie hugs.”
Sally Obermeder and Rebecca Judd also commented a string of emotional emojis.
Carrie’s ex Chris – who became a father figure to Oliver after Greg’s death – also posted a sweet post about the teenager.
He shared a photograph of himself proudly hugging Oliver after he got his P plates.
Chris also shared a photograph of Oliver pretending to drive a car as a toddler as he gushed over the achievement.
Carrie welcomed Oliver with her first husband Greg in 2007.
She met Greg while working in media in the 2000s and they got married in 2005.
Of having Oliver, she previously said: “It’s probably the greatest thing we ever did together. He’s a gorgeous boy and he’s so much like [Greg] in so many ways.”
However, Greg tragically died in 2010 after a decade-long battle with brain cancer, when Oliver was a small child.
“He fought so courageously for so long. I feel so blessed to have little Ollie in my life,” Carrie told the Sydney Morning Herald after Greg’s passing.
Carrie went on to find love again with producer Chris, who she met while working on The Project.
They welcomed two daughters, Evie and Addie, during their relationship and Chris became a father figure to Oliver. They split in 2023 after 11 years together.
In a joint Instagram statement, they shared at the time: “Hi there, it’s with immense sadness that Chris and I have decided to separate.”
“Whilst this is a tough time, our sole focus is on parenting, loving, and supporting our three children Ollie, Evie, and Addie with everything we’ve go. They are doing great. We won’t be making any further comment.”
Carrie has been single since their split but was linked to reality TV star Lee Elliott in July.
Our sister publication Woman’s Day broke the news that the pair had been enjoying a secret romance following his split from Georgia Love.
“They’ve been trying so hard to keep things under wraps,” a source close to the newly smitten lovebirds recently told Woman’s Day.
According to the magazine, things are already getting serious between the pair.
