Jon Gosselin’s ex-girlfriend Colleen Conrad has spoken out to defend his son Collin after his mother Kate accused him of being “violent and unpredictable.”
Colleen, 53, took to Instagram this weekend and shared a collage of photos of her with Collin, 19, as well as his sister Hannah and her own children, writing a very long caption alongside them.
Not only did she refer to Collin as “kind and respectful,” but Colleen also denied that he is “dangerous,” saying his “character deserves praise, not baseless accusations.”
Colleen dated Jon, 46, for nearly seven years until August 2021, and she has now revealed that Collin continued to live with her even after the split.
On July 21, Kate, 48, issued a sensational statement against her teenage son in the wake of his appearance on the VICE TV docuseries Dark Side of the 2000s, alleging that his mother had “abused” and held him as a child . separated from his seven siblings after her divorce from his father Jon.
Kind words: Jon Gosselin’s ex-girlfriend Colleen Conrad has spoken out to defend his son Collin
Happier times: Colleen pictured with her ex-boyfriend Jon and a younger Collin in 2019
Mom talk: Kate Gosselin labeled her son Collin ‘violent’ in a statement she released in July
The mother of eight broke her silence over her child’s shocking claims, saying she believes “Collin remains a very troubled young man who still needs a lot of help.”
In her own Instagram statement, Colleen completely ignored Kate’s words as she gushed about Collin and confirmed that they are still in touch.
She wrote: ‘I recently heard of derogatory statements about Collin Gosselin and felt compelled to defend him. These statements have been made by relatives who have been estranged since he was 12 years old.
“Not only is Collin someone I love dearly, but he has also been an important figure in my family’s life. He is currently on training camp for the Marines and is unable to defend himself.
“After Jon and I split up and Jon left, Collin lived with me until he turned 18, so I saw him every day. He thrived and was always kind and respectful. He never called me back. He has never been violent and is by no means considered dangerous.”
Collen continued: ‘He’s there for me when I need him, even bringing me white roses every time he visits. I could tag a huge number of people who have spent time with Collin, and they would all testify to what a wonderful person he is.
“He has overcome more challenges than anyone should ever face. Despite being alone in an institution for 3 years with only 3 visits from his mother and not receiving a proper education, he earned a 4.0 GPA and won top GPA honors at his ROTC banquet. I am so incredibly proud of his achievements,” she claimed.
Colleen continued, “Collin’s dream of joining the Marines seemed impossible given his background, but he never gave up. He stopped all medications two years ago and continued to do well at school and work.
In his own words: Collin recently appeared on the VICE TV docuseries Dark Side of the 2000’s where he talked about his upbringing
At the time: Jon and Colleen pictured with his son Collin and daughter Hannah in 2020
Blended family: Colleen shared a collage of photos of Collin, his sister Hannah, and her own two children
Mama’s girls: Kate pictured with her two older children in 2019, twins Cara and Mady
He sought private psychiatric evaluations as an adult that refuted all previous diagnoses. It was his determination that led him to the Marines, where he is now living his dream. He wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t proven those diagnoses wrong.
“I’ve received letters from Collin during his time in boot camp, and he admits it’s a challenge, but he’s happy and proud to be there. He is a testament to strength and courage, and I am honored to have him in my life,” she added.
“Collin will always be part of my family and I will support him no matter what comes our way. That’s what family does. The truth about Collins character deserves praise, not baseless accusations from those estranged from his life.’
Colleen’s followers were quick to respond to the post, including her son Jesse, who wrote, “Mom love you and Collin,” alongside a red heart emoji.
Someone else said, “I’m so glad you spoke. Collin is so lucky to have had a maternal influence through you in his teenage years,” and a third commented, “THIS is what a post from a mother looks like about their child.”
Another Instagram user agreed, writing, “This IS A MOM!!!! Thanks for standing up for the TRUTH!!! Colin is so lucky to have you in his life (sic).’
Collin has been estranged from his mother Kate and six of his siblings for several years, accusing her of being “controlling.”
On the VICE TV series, he claimed, “I think my mom put some kind of social barrier between us. She told them the story one way, and of course I see the story another way.’
Looking Ahead: Collen confirmed that Collin is currently on training camp for the Marines
Her point of view: Kate believes Collin is a ‘young man with a lot of problems’ and claims he needs ‘a lot of help’
Proud Dad: Jon, pictured here with Hannah and Collin, is estranged from his other six children
After Jon and Kate’s acrimonious split in 2009, the couple’s eight children continued to live with their mother — until 2016, when Collin was sent to the Fairmont Behavioral Health Institute in Philadelphia.
Jon previously claimed that while Collin was “caged” for three years, his callous mother only visited him three times – less than two hours in all – while refusing to tell him where their son was.
Collin was later moved to another facility in Pittsburgh, and this is when Jon began a $1 million legal battle to get custody. He also won custody of Collin’s sister Hannah.
Hannah, also 19, also spoke out on the docuseries, confirming that her siblings know about what happened to Collin.
“We didn’t speak to Collin for years while he was in the facility, we didn’t even know where he was,” she explained.
Hannah is somewhat making amends with Kate, revealing, “I’d say we’re trying to fix our relationship, talk to each other more.”
The teen, who launched her own beauty line Gosselin Girl Beauty in 2022, is in the process of making amends with her mother Kate, revealing: “I would say we’re trying to mend our relationship, talk to each other more.”
And it seems Collin would want to do the same if he admitted, “I love them dearly. I really, really hope that one day we can all reconnect and put the show behind us and just be siblings again, take back the time we didn’t have.”
However, his 22-year-old sister Mady does not appear to be interested in a relationship with her brother, as she also spoke out against him in July, accusing him of using “physical violence and hate speech.”