Their romantic relationship may be over but Jess Marais and Jake Holly still share a strong bond.
This week, the actress turned to her former flame for support in the aftermath of her beloved mother Karen’s tragic death.
On Wednesday evening, Jake shared a poignant post to his Instagram Stories documenting his recent catch-up with the Logie award-winning star.
In the snap, Jess and Jake’s feet can be seen dangling over a cliff edge towards the ocean.
The photographer accompanied the snap by tagging Jess’ Instagram handle and adding a rose and heart emoji.
Jake has been an influential figure in Jess’ life since they started dating in late 2017, with the pair attending Hillsong services together and even sparking rumours they’d secretly tied the knot.
It’s unclear exactly when the pair officially broke up but last June Jake shared a telling post online, hinting they had called it quits.
Back together: Jess and Jake enjoyed a peaceful beach session together.
(Image: @jakeholly_/Instagram)Over the years, Jess, who shares eight-year-old daughter Scout with her ex-fiance, Home And Away‘s James Stewart, has been open about her mental health struggles, admitting she has had “bipolar episodes” since she was 12.
Earlier this week, Jess’ good friend and former Packed To The Rafters co-star Hugh Sheridan revealed the Wrong Girl star had lost her mother as he paid tribute to his good friend’s family.
“We’ve helped each other through our lives changing in so many ways. Our wins and highs met extreme lows sometimes, but we always made it through,” Hugh wrote.
“I can’t tell you how sh*t I feel knowing I can’t hug you right now.”
“To have distance between us when I want to be with you. I know we’ve spoken since and we’re pretty private usually but I really wanted to let everyone know how much I’m grieving for my dearest and sweetest friend who’s now lost both of her parents far too young.”
Jess was raised by her mother after moving to Australia from South Africa at age nine. She lost her father to a heart attack six months later.
It’s believed the on-off couple split around June last year.
(Image: @jakeholly_/ Instagram)Hugh added: “I have the best memories of us and Karen… remember we would make her laugh till she was going to wee 😂 she was so proud of you and so am I.”
“I love you Jess. I’ll be back very soon and I will hug you for a very long time (after I get lot of quarantine). I found these photos from the last time I hugged you at my birthday in June ♥”
Hugh concluded his post with Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, in tribute to Karen.
Over on Jess’ Instagram account, she had three days earlier shared a throwback photo of herself and her sister Clara with their mother during their childhood.
While Jess didn’t caption the photo, her followers appeared to show their support by commenting love heart emojis, including her Rafters co-star Zoe Ventoura and Love Child co-star Sophie Hensser Bloom.
2020 has been a tough year for the mother-of-one. In May, the Daily Telegraph reported the 35-year-old had been rushed to hospital after police and paramedics were called to her residence in the eastern suburbs following reports she was in a “poor state.”
The actress was taken to the emergency department of the RPA Hospital in Randwick and was examined.
In February, Jess made the shock announcement she would be pulling out of the highly anticipated Packed To The Rafters reboot, Back To The Rafters, citing “personal reasons.”
The couple first began dating in 2017.
(Image: @jakeholly_/ Instagram)
