Jon Gosselin Makes Emotional Plea to Estranged Children
The 'Jon & Kate Plus 8' star expressed hope for reconciliation with his six estranged children, who he has not seen in years.
Jon Gosselin has issued an emotional message to his six estranged children, expressing his love and a desire for future reconciliation. The 49-year-old father of eight, who gained fame alongside his ex-wife Kate Gosselin on the TLC reality show 'Jon & Kate Plus 8,' has been out of touch with most of his children for over a decade.
Gosselin shares twins Madelyn and Cara, 26, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel, 22, with his ex-wife. He stated in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, "I hope you understand that I still love you. I hope one day you reach out to me." He has been estranged from Mady and Cara for 13 years and has not seen the other four children since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
His plea comes amid the release of his son Collin's tell-all memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood," which details abuse allegations against their mother. Jon urged his children to read Collin's book to understand the family dynamics and to "Be your own person. You are all adults now."
Gosselin detailed the difficult custody battle that followed his divorce from Kate in 2009. Ultimately, he obtained full custody of Hannah and Collin, while Kate was granted custody of the remaining four children. Jon has since married his second wife, Stephanie Lebo, in November 2025.
Kate Gosselin has previously addressed the family's struggles, acknowledging in a 2025 TikTok live that their divorce "did not turn out well for my kids." She stated that she made decisions based on how she would want to be treated. In response to Collin's memoir, Kate, in a statement to People, said that Collin "has received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years" and was placed in a facility for his well-being and the safety of others.