BEACH BREAK The Valley’s Brittany Cartwright hits the beach on Miami getaway after ex Jax Taylor admits horrific cocaine addiction
THE VALLEY’S Brittany Cartwright hit the beach on a sunny Miami getaway after her ex husband Jax Taylor’s horrific cocaine addiction admission.
Brittany, 36, showcased her famous curves in a baby blue bodysuit and matching mini skirt as she hit the beach with friends on Thursday.
Looking relaxed and carefree, the brunette beauty dipped her toes in the ocean and basked in the sun outside her luxury beachfront hotel.
Accessorizing her look with Christian Dior slides and a $2,550 Balmain B-Buzz Dynasty handbag, Brittany exuded effortless glam.
Underneath her outfit, she sported a leopard-print bikini before later switching into skintight bike shorts, a T-shirt, and Nike sneakers as the group stepped out from their hotel.
Just a day earlier, the influencer hinted at how much she was enjoying her escape, sharing a glamorous snap at a swanky bar with the caption: “Miami is much needed.”
Meanwhile, Jax, 45, has been making headlines for his candid admission about his past struggles.
The Vanderpump Rules alum recently revealed to Us Weekly that he “hit rock bottom” following their split in February 2024, leading him to check into rehab and finally get sober.
The model starred on the hit Bravo series for eight seasons, which captured his relationship with co-star Brittany.
After the couple married in 2019, Brittany filed for divorce in August 2024.
He told the magazine: “This year was probably the hardest year of my life.”
He said the addiction got worse when the former couple separated, leading him to take enough cocaine to kill a small horse.
Vanderpump Rules star Jax Taylor reveals secret cocaine addiction he hid for over 20 years & claims he’s ‘83 days sober’
“I’ve been doing it for a long time but the addiction got worse during my divorce and during my separation,” he added.
“I literally lost control. I hit rock bottom and I had to go to rehab.”
Brittany filed for divorce after Jax’s second stay in a rehab treatment center.
Obviously, I’m not the type of person who can have one drink and be okay. It’s just not in my cards and I had to stop. I was going to lose custody. I’m embarrassing my ex-wife and I’m embarrassing myself. Nobody’s looking at me seriously. I want to do it for myself.”
Jax Taylor
Jax was reportedly forced into treatment to keep his job, The U.S. Sun exclusively reported in November.
Following the divorce, he revealed he was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD.
MOTIVATED BY HIS SON
Jax revealed his main motivation in getting sober is for his three-year-old son, Cruz, whom he shares with Brittany.
“The big thing here is my son. He’s my drive and he’s my number one driver for this,” he said.
“Obviously, I’m not the type of person who can have one drink and be okay. It’s just not in my cards and I had to stop.
“I was going to lose custody. I’m embarrassing my ex-wife and I’m embarrassing myself. Nobody’s looking at me seriously. I want to do it for myself.”
He said he takes care of his son as much as his ex-wife allows, revealing tensions between the two.
“I don’t know what else she wants from me. I’m doing everything that she’s asked for just because I respect her and I want to make her happy,” he said.
“I’m going above and beyond to show her that I do care and I want to be in my son’s life.”
MOMENT OF REALIZATION
He revealed that the incident that made him realize he needed to get sober was in between his first and second stays in rehab.
Jax and Brittany were in the car together on the way to a doctor’s appointment for their son when he saw a man’s name on Cartwright’s phone.
“It just triggered me. I did slip after the first incident and I did take substance the night before,” he admitted.
“I lost it. I went crazy in the car yelling.”
He continued, “The worst part about all of this – and this is why I checked myself in – is that my son was in the backseat.
“That’s when I knew that I have a problem and it’s still there.”
The reality star said he felt “utter disgust.”
“The first time I put up a little bit of a fight and the second time I knew I had to go back,” he said.
‘BOTTOM OF THE BARREL’
Jax said cocaine’s side effects took a toll on him after he used the party drug on and off for years.
“The next day is the worst. You feel like absolute s**t,” he said.
“You feel at the bottom of the barrel.”
He said the drug left him “angry and depressed” with “zero serotonin.”
“Anybody who’s done cocaine will tell you that the next day is brutal,” he added.
“It’s weird why we do it for two hours of fun and the next 48 hours are miserable.”
Taylor said he plans to speak more about his sobriety in his new podcast series, In the Mind of a Man.
“I just want to let people know this is a really, really tough disease and it’s a really tough sickness,” he said.
“I’ve never said this in my life,” he said, adding that opening up about his addiction is a “really big deal.”
“Obviously, it’s a huge weight lifted off my shoulders,” he said.
Brittany responded to Jax’s big reveal, but didn’t seem impressed by his newfound sobriety.
“For the first time, I can speak openly about the extent of trauma he’s instilled on our family over the years,” she told People. “I’ve tried desperately to help him without success.
“I pray that one day he completely knocks this addiction, but I’m skeptical. His behaviors are still alarming and his treatment plan seems to be the bare minimum.
“I’m trying to navigate this as best as I can for my son and I, but every day is still a challenge and very difficult.
“Jax has caused an enormous amount of damage and I have very little trust in him at this point.
“My only hope is that one day, he will be a better person for his son.”
Taylor and Cartwright left Vanderpump Rules in 2020 to focus on their family.
The former couple returned to Bravo to star on The Valley in 2024.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
