NEED TO KNOW
Jon Gosselin’s ex Colleen Conrad shared an emotional message for his son Collin after reading his tribute to her in his new memoir
Collin released his memoir on Oct. 13, reflecting on his childhood on Jon & Kate Plus 8 and alleging abuse by his estranged mother, Kate Gosselin
Conrad said Collin’s words meant “more to me than you’ll ever know” and promised she would “always be your mom”
Jon Gosselin’s ex Colleen Conrad was brought to tears by a touching tribute from his son Collin Gosselin in his new memoir.
On Friday, Oct. 23, Conrad, who dated Collin’s father from 2014 to 2021, celebrated the 22-year-old’s literary debut after his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, reached No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list.
In an Instagram post reacting to his achievement, Conrad shared a message for Collin, alongside a slideshow of photos of the pair over the years. “Collin, where do I even begin? ❤️ A #1 New York Times bestselling author,” she began the caption. “Who would have imagined that all those years ago? I am so incredibly proud of you!”
“When you came into my life, you had already been through more than any child should ever have to experience,” she continued. “I didn’t know what the years ahead would bring, but I knew I loved you and wanted you to feel safe, loved, and supported.”
Colleen Conrad and Collin Gosselin
Credit: Colleen Conrad/Instagram
Conrad then reflected on having “shared so much together,” including “laughter,” “tears” and “all those everyday moments I’ll treasure forever.” Conrad and Collin’s father, Jon, began dating about five years after Jon’s divorce from ex wife Kate Gosselin, 51, was finalized. In his new book, Collin recounts multiple allegations of abuse against his mother, Kate.
Jon announced his split from Conrad in August 2021. A rep for Jon told PEOPLE in 2023 that the former couple “remained friends and he will always be appreciative of Colleen’s participation in coparenting Collin.” Jon later married Stephanie Lebo in November 2025.
“Watching you grow into the man you are today has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” Conrad wrote in her caption of Collin. “Listening to your book was incredibly emotional. It brought back beautiful memories, but also painful ones. I was going through breast cancer, the end of my relationship with your dad, and so many changes in my own life.”
She added, “Through it all, there was a teenage boy who needed me. And what you may never fully realize is how much I needed you, too. We helped each other through some incredibly difficult times.”
Conrad explained that she initially listened to the audiobook, which did not include Collin’s acknowledgments. In the section, Collin emphasized how she “stepped into my life as the mother I needed most” and wrote that “strong men need strong mothers, and I was so fortunate to have mine.”
“When my book finally arrived, I read what you had written to me and cried all over again,” she wrote. “… Collin, those words mean more to me than you’ll ever know. And now look at you! You’ve found your voice, shared your story with the world, and become a New York Times bestselling author. Even more importantly, you’re helping others find the courage to share their stories.”
Conrad ended her message by promising that her support for Collin would never waver. “As proud as I am of your book, I’m even prouder of the man you’ve become. No matter how old you get or where life takes you, I will always be your mom. I will always love you and cheer you on. Congratulations, Collin. You deserve all the happiness and success life has to offer. Love you always. ❤️”
In an accompanying video, Conrad described Collin as “part of my family,” adding that she was proud of his accomplishments and “even prouder of who you are.”
She previously showed her support for Collin’s debut book, writing in a June post that she was “incredibly proud of him for all the hard work that he put into this and having the courage to write it.” That same month, Collin, who appeared alongside his seven siblings on Jon & Kate Plus 8, praised Conrad on Instagram as “the strongest woman I know, who stepped in at the toughest part of my life and CHOSE to be a mother to me.”
Collin is one of Jon and Kate’s sextuplets, alongside siblings Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Leah and Joel, all 22. He also has two older twin sisters, Mady and Cara, 26. He alleges in his new book that their mother, Kate, restrained him with zip ties and hit him when he didn’t perform for the cameras as she wanted, among other claims. He also recounts being placed in an institution as a preteen following his parents’ 2009 divorce.
Kate has not addressed the specific allegations in Collin’s memoir, but previously defended her actions in a 2023 Instagram statement, saying that “all measures that were taken in our home were at the explicit recommendation of [Collin’s] pediatric psychiatrist and/or his team of specialists and were put into place to safeguard every member of our family, our friends as well as our family pets.”
Collin previously accused Kate of being “verbally abusive” and isolating him from his siblings in 2024. In response to Collin’s previous allegations, Kate’s attorney, Richard Puleo, told The Sun in 2024 that he did not believe she had done anything to “intentionally harm” her son. He maintained that “she did what she did to protect herself and her family” from what he described as “troubled behavior.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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