Jon Gosselin’s Ex Colleen Conrad Says Collin’s Memoir Tribute Made Her Cry: ‘I Will Always Be Your Mother’

NEED TO KNOW

• Jon Gosselin’s ex, Colleen Conrad, shared a moving message for her son Collin after reading his tribute in her new memoir

• Collin released his memoir on October 13, reflecting on his childhood on Jon & Kate Plus 8 and alleging abuse at the hands of his estranged mother, Kate Gosselin.

• Conrad said Collin’s words meant “more to me than you will ever know” and promised she “will always be your mother.”

Jon Gosselin’s ex Colleen Conrad was moved to tears by a touching tribute from his son Collin Gosselin in his new memoir.

On Friday, October 23, Conrad, who dated Collin’s father from 2014 to 2021, celebrated the 22-year-old’s literary debut following his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhoodreached #1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list.

In an Instagram post reacting to his feat, Conrad shared a message for Collin, alongside a slideshow of photos of the couple over the years. “Collin, where do I start? ❤️ A #1 New York Times bestselling author,” she began the caption. “Who would have imagined this all those years ago? I’m incredibly proud of you!”

“When you came into my life, you had already experienced more than any child should ever have to experience,” she continued. “I didn’t know what the years to come would bring, but I knew I loved you and wanted you to feel safe, loved and supported.”

Conrad then reflected on having “shared so many things together”, including “laughter”, “tears” and “all these everyday moments that I will cherish forever”. Conrad and Collin’s father, Jon, began dating around five years after Jon’s divorce from ex-wife Kate Gosselin, 51, was finalized. In his new book, Collin recounts several 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 appreciate Colleen’s involvement in co-parenting Collin.” Jon then married Stéphanie 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 his caption of Collin. “Listening to your book was incredibly moving. It brought back beautiful memories, but also painful memories. I was going through breast cancer, the end of my relationship with your father, and so many changes in my own life.”

She added: “Throughout all of this, there was a teenager who needed me. And what you may never really realize is how much I needed you too. We helped each other through some incredibly difficult times.”

Conrad explained that she first listened to the audiobook, which did not include Collin’s thank yous. In the section, Collin highlighted how she “came into my life as the mother I needed most” and wrote that “strong men need strong mothers, and I was so lucky to have mine.”

“When my book finally arrived, I read what you had written to me and I cried again,” she wrote. “…Collin, those words mean more to me than you will ever know. And now look at you! You found your voice, shared your story with the world, and became a New York Times bestselling author. Most importantly, you help others find the courage to share their story. »

Conrad ended his message by promising that his support for Collin would never waver. “As proud as I am of your book, I am even more proud of the man you have become. No matter how old you are or where life takes you, I will always be your mom. I will always love you and cheer for you. Congratulations, Collin. You deserve all the happiness and success life has to offer. I love you always. ❤️”

In an accompanying video, Conrad described Collin as “a member of my family,” adding that she was proud of his accomplishments and “even more proud of who you are.”

She previously showed support for Collin’s first book, writing in a June post that she was “incredibly proud of him for all the hard work he put into it and for having the courage to write it.” The same month, Collin, who appeared alongside his seven siblings in Jon & Kate Plus 8praised Conrad on Instagram as “the strongest woman I know, who stepped up to the hardest 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 aged 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 in front of the cameras as she wanted, among other claims. He also describes being placed in an institution as a pre-teen following his parents’ divorce in 2009.

Kate did not address the specific allegations contained in Collin’s memoir, but previously defended her actions in a 2023 Instagram statement, saying “all measures that were taken in our home were on the explicit recommendation of (Collin’s) pediatric psychiatrist and/or his team of specialists and were put in place to protect every member of our family, our friends as well as our pets.”

Collin had previously accused Kate of being “verbally abusive” and isolating him from his siblings in 2024. In response to Collin’s previous allegations, Kate’s lawyer Richard Puleo told The Sun in 2024 that he did not believe she had done anything to “intentionally harm” her son. He argued 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 free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article on People