Last Updated on October 25, 2026 by Cliche
Colleen Conrad’s relationship with Jon Gosselin ended years ago, but her bond with his son Collin is still going strong. Following the release of Collin’s memoir, “In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood,” Conrad shared an emotional tribute celebrating the 22-year-old and promising that her support isn’t going anywhere.
Her message comes as the book renews attention to Collin’s abuse allegations against his mother, Kate Gosselin, who has previously denied wrongdoing. But Conrad’s post focused on the family connection she and Collin built, and the difficult years they helped each other get through.
Colleen Conrad Makes A Lasting Promise To Collin Gosselin
Conrad took to Instagram with a heartfelt message about the young man she has watched grow up. “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 declared.
Conrad dated Jon from 2014 to 2021. Although that relationship ended, her post made it clear that she still considers Collin part of her family. Reflecting on when he first entered her life, she said she wanted to give him a sense of security.
“When you came into my life, you had already been through more than any child should ever have to experience,” she said. “I didn’t know what the years ahead would bring, but I knew I loved you and wanted you to feel safe, loved, and supported.”
She also celebrated the ordinary moments that helped shape their relationship. “We’ve shared so much together. The laughter, the tears, the holidays, the vacations, the challenges, and all those everyday moments I’ll treasure forever. Watching you grow into the man you are today has been one of the greatest joys of my life.”
Listening To Collin’s Memoir Brought Back Painful Memories
For Conrad, hearing Collin tell his story meant revisiting a challenging period in her own life, too. The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner explained that she first experienced the memoir through its Audible edition.
“Listening to your book was incredibly emotional. It brought back beautiful memories, but also painful ones. I was going through breast cancer, the end of my relationship with your dad, and so many changes in my own life,” she shared.
Amid those upheavals, she was also helping Collin navigate his teenage years. “Through it all, there was a teenage boy who needed me,” she said. “And what you may never fully realize is how much I needed you, too. We helped each other through some incredibly difficult times.”
- Kate Gosselin’s former nanny revealed what she witnessed behind closed doors.
- Collin Gosselin responded to his sister’s post with claims about Kate’s tactics, saying, “Hannah’s caught in the middle.”
- TLC came under fire after Collin Gosselin shared a heartbreaking clip from the family’s reality show.
- Collin Gosselin pushed back against his mother’s mental health claims amid his fight to be heard.
Collin’s Written Tribute Left Conrad In Tears Again
The audiobook wasn’t the end of Conrad’s emotional experience with the memoir. She explained that “the Audible version didn’t include your acknowledgments,” leaving her unaware of the personal words Collin had written to her until the physical book arrived.
Reading them, she said, made her cry again. In his tribute, Collin wrote, “You stepped into my life as the mother I needed most.”
He also told her, “Strong men need strong mothers, and I was so fortunate to have mine.” Conrad responded directly to the significance of those words. “Collin, those words mean more to me than you’ll ever know.”
Collin Gosselin Says He Will ‘Forever Be Grateful’ For Conrad
Collin answered the tribute with an emotional comment of his own. “I love you [red heart emoji] I loved that you say you needed me too. It just shows how meant to be everything was,” he wrote.
He went on to explain how much their relationship means to him. “If I could’ve gone through all the hard things again I’d gladly do it, because it led me to you. You’re kind, loving, funny and you love in a way that a real mother should. I’ll forever be grateful to have you in my life,” he added.
Collin closed by thanking Conrad for continuing to believe in him when he struggled to believe in himself. “Thank you for listening, showing up, and never giving up on that young, broken, hurting little boy who didn’t believe in himself. Sometimes all we need is to know our mom believes in us and it gives us enough faith in ourselves [red heart emoji].”
Kate Gosselin Has Defended Herself Against Collin’s Allegations
Released October 13, Collin’s memoir revisits his childhood in the reality-TV family and includes allegations of abuse involving Kate. He had previewed the project in June with a message about telling his own story. “This isn’t the story people think they know. It’s the story I’ve lived.”
Kate has previously denied Collin’s abuse allegations. In a recent TikTok exchange, she responded to a supportive commenter by defending her character as a mother. “Wow. Thank you. I needed this encouragement. I know who I am and my kids know who I truly am and to me, that’s all that matters.”
In a 2023 statement to PEOPLE, Kate also defended her decision to place Collin in a treatment facility, citing what she described as psychiatric diagnoses and unsuccessful outpatient treatment. That was her account of the decision, rather than an independent finding about Collin’s health.
Jon and Kate, who divorced in 2009, share twins Madelyn and Cara and sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah, and Joel. Jon later obtained custody of Collin and Hannah.
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