Jax Taylor shared a sweet message for his son, Cruz, while bringing awareness to World Autism Day.
Taylor, 46, took to Instagram on Thursday, April 2, to share adorable photos of himself with Cruz, 4, whom he shares with estranged wife Brittany Cartwright. “Today is World Autism Awareness Day 💙,” Taylor captioned a pic of Cruz sitting on his shoulders and beaming. “My son has changed the way I see the world… with more patience, more understanding and a deeper love than I ever knew I had in me.”
Taylor continued, “He reminds me every day what really matters. Proud to be his dad today and every day 🩵.”
Elsewhere in the social media post, the Valley star shared an adorable pic of him and Cruz hugging.
Cruz was diagnosed with autism in 2024. That same year, Cartwright, 37, filed for divorce from Taylor and requested legal and physical custody of their son. Earlier this month, they reached an agreement and will share custody, with Britany being the primary caregiver. Taylor has visitation every other weekend and on Wednesday nights.
In April 2025, Cartwright, 37, revealed his diagnosis and shared that he was “regressing in his speech.”
“He crawled early, he walked early,” Cartwright told People at the time. “He was talking, he was saying, ‘Mommy,’ ‘Daddy.’ He was saying ‘Hot Dog!’ from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” So when he eventually “stopped talking almost completely,” the parents quickly put Cruz in speech and occupational therapy.
“It can be difficult because I’ve never heard him say, ‘I love you,’ but he is so loving, and he shows me he loves me every single day. He is such a mommy’s boy,” Cartwright said.
The reality star also shared that she’s doing “everything” she can to give Cruz “the happiest life ever.”
“Yes, it might be challenging at times, but I couldn’t imagine my life being different,” she said. “It can be sad at times because you want them to live life to the fullest, and he does, he just does it in a different way. What I really want people to understand about autism is he sees the world so much more vibrant and amazing than any of us ever will. It doesn’t mean that he’s not going to be the smartest in his class. It doesn’t mean he is not going to work for NASA one day. There aren’t any limitations to what he can do.”
Cartwright and Taylor met in 2015 and quickly moved in together. The couple dated on and off after it was revealed that Taylor had an affair with Faith Stowers. They ultimately reconciled and got engaged in 2018. The following year, Taylor and Cartwright tied the knot at a Kentucky castle.
After welcoming Cruz in 2021, the couple returned to reality TV and starred on the Vanderpump Rules spin-off The Valley. In August 2024, Cartwright filed for divorce, but it has not yet been finalized.
