Jon and Kate Gosselin's Son Collin Refers to Dad's Ex Colleen Conrad as His 'Real Mom' amid Memoir Announcement
Jon and Kate Gosselin's Son Collin Refers to Dad's Ex Colleen Conrad as His 'Real Mom' amid Memoir Announcement
Daniel S. LevineThu, June 18, 2026 at 12:30 AM UTC
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Colleen Conrad (left) and Collin Gosselin (right) in an undated photo Collin shared on InstagramCredit: Collin Gosselin/Instagram -
Collin Gosselin announced his forthcoming memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, on June 17
June 17 is also the birthday of his father's ex-girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, and Collin shared a special message for her, in which he referred to Conrad as his "real mom"
Collin is one of eight children of former couple Jon and Kate Gosselin, who rose to fame on TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8
Collin Gosselin shared a special message for his father Jon Gosselin's ex, Colleen Conrad, whom he referred to as his "real mom."
The 22-year-old son of Jon and Kate Gosselin announced his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood, on Wednesday, June 17, which also happened to be Conrad's birthday. Jon, 49, and Conrad dated from 2014 to 2021.
"She is the strongest woman I know, who stepped in at the toughest part of my life and CHOSE to be a mother to me," Collin wrote on Instagram, alongside an undated photo of himself with Conrad. "Happy birthday to my wonderful, hardworking, passionate, and I could go on… to my real mom ❤️ I love you so much."
Jon and Conrad grew up together in Pennsylvania, but didn't start dating until 2014, about five years after Jon's divorce from Kate, 51, was finalized. In August 2021, Jon announced he and Conrad had split, around four months after Conrad was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Jon later said on The Dr. Oz Show that he and Conrad remained friends and he was still helping her through cancer treatment.
In August 2023, Conrad publicly supported Collin after Kate and Collin's sister Mady, 25, spoke about his alleged behavioral issues in a July 2023 statement to PEOPLE. That statement came in response to allegations Jon, Collin and Collin's sister Hannah, 22, made in an episode of Vice TV's Dark Side of the 2000s.
"Jon is very pleased to see that Colleen has finally come out to support his son Collin to the public," Jon's rep told PEOPLE in August 2023. "Jon and Colleen have remained friends and he will always be appreciative of Colleen's participation in coparenting Collin."
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'In the Shadow of Eight' coverCredit: Grand Central Publishing/Amazon
Earlier on June 17, Collin announced In the Shadow of Eight, which is scheduled to be published on Oct. 13. The book's cover features a photo of Collin and Kate that appears to be taken during the height of Jon & Kate Plus 8's popularity.
"Writing this book forced me to revisit some of the hardest moments of my life, but it also gave me something I've been searching for for a long time: my voice," Collin wrote on Instagram. "This isn't the story people think they know. It's the story I've lived."
Collin is one of Jon and Kate's 22-year-old sextuplets, alongside Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Leah and Joel. The former couple are also parents to 25-year-old twins Mady and Cara.
Kate Gosselin and her children on 'Celebrity Wife Swap'Credit: Donna Svennevik/Getty
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After Jon and Kate's divorce in 2009, Kate was awarded custody of their children. In 2016, she sent Collin to a behavioral health institution following what she described as "unpredictable and violent behavior." However, Collin moved in with Jon after leaving the program and Jon was awarded custody of him. Collin and Hannah graduated high school together in 2023.
In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood is set for release on Oct. 13 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
