Jon Gosselin's Ex-Girlfriend Praises Collin Gosselin Amid Bombshell Memoir

Colleen Conrad, ex-girlfriend of Jon Gosselin, has publicly supported his son Collin Gosselin in the wake of the release of Collin's memoir, which includes allegations of abuse against his mother, Kate Gosselin. Collin, now 22, rose to fame on the TLC reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Conrad expressed her support on social media, stating, "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." She added that when Collin first entered her life, he had "already been through more than any child should ever have to experience." Conrad, a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, shared that listening to Collin's book, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, was emotional, bringing back both happy and painful memories.

Conrad, who was in a relationship with Jon Gosselin from 2014 to 2021, detailed how she and Collin supported each other through difficult times, including her own battle with breast cancer and the end of her relationship with Jon. She described Collin's dedication in the physical copy of his book as particularly moving, where he wrote, "You stepped into my life as the mother I needed most." Conrad responded, "Collin, those words mean more to me than you’ll ever know."

Collin replied to Conrad's tribute in the comments, writing, "I love you ❤️ I loved that you say you needed me too. It just shows how meant to be everything was." He expressed gratitude for her belief in him, stating, "Sometimes all we need is to know our mom believes in us and it gives us enough faith in ourselves ❤️❤️."

Collin first announced his memoir in June, promising to share "the reality of his childhood," including "abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of children." The book was published on October 13. In a separate post, Collin referred to Conrad as his "real mom."

Kate and Jon Gosselin, who divorced in 2009, share twins Madelyn and Cara, and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel. Jon Gosselin later obtained full custody of Hannah and Collin, while Kate retained custody of the remaining children.

Last week, Kate Gosselin addressed the allegations made by her son. In response to a supportive comment on a TikTok video, she stated, "I know who I am and my kids know who I truly am and to me, that's all that matters."

In a 2023 interview with Vice TV, Collin accused his mother of abuse and of treating him differently from his siblings. Kate Gosselin responded to these claims in a statement to People, saying, "My son Collin, whom I love with all my heart, has received multiple psychiatric diagnoses over the years. For the safety of myself, his brothers and sisters and for his own well-being, he was placed in a facility following years of outpatient treatment which proved insufficient for his needs."