Olivia Molly Rogers is a social media influencer. The 32-year-old is best known for being Miss Universe Australia 2017. Ahead, she shares why she saved all her maths homework for her dad, her celebrity crush as a teen and her decision to freeze her eggs.
“Post-divorce, I’ve done a lot of work on myself and I’m in a better place knowing the traits I like in a partner.” Credit: Alexandra Phillips
My maternal grandfather, Maurice, sang when he watered the garden. He was always at our primary school fetes and plays in Adelaide, and very involved in our lives. He was smart with investment and shares and I learnt a lot about business, working hard and making your own way in life by his example. He died when I was 22.
My paternal grandfather, Jack, is still with us. He isn’t a tall man, but says he is tall with pride for us. As a child, I’d sit on the couch alongside him while he watched the horse racing on the TV. He worked as a doctor until the age of 80 and loves to travel.
My father, Mark, followed in his dad’s footsteps and became a GP. He has the softest hands of anyone I’ve ever known. We had our challenges growing up – my parents split when I was eight and, as a result, my siblings and I didn’t spend as much time with Dad.
We saw Dad every second weekend and every Thursday night – I’d save all my maths and science homework questions until then. As young children he took us to a place called Magic Mountain in Adelaide. He always tried to be the fun dad.
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Dad is one of the smartest people I know, something that’s much to his detriment as he tends to overthink things. He is softly spoken and very kind – he always wants to help people and I get that from him. He always gave good advice about my career and was happy when I chose speech pathology.
My mum’s brother, Oren, has been a big character in my life. His son Jack passed away at 18 from meningococcal meningitis. I was 17 at the time. What Oren has gone on to do in light of that loss has been amazing.
I remember my first kiss. I was 13 and had a group of friends over at my house one summer’s day to hang by the pool. A boy took me around the side of the house and I knew straight away what he wanted to do. He kissed me and it was foul. I wondered, why do people do this?
