Kate and Jon Gosselin stepped into the limelight in 2005 when they were featured on a 2005 Discovery Health special following the birth of their sextuplets, Alexis, Joel, Hannah, Leah, Collin, and Aaden. The couple and their sextuplets almost instantly became a reality TV phenomenon, landing their own show just two years after their Discovery Health debut.
However, just two years after the show, Jon & Kate Plus 8, premiered on Discovery Health, Kate and Jon had a rather public falling out, bringing an end to their 9-year marriage.
The Gosselin family faced countless complications in the aftermath of the divorce, including 12-year-old Collin Gosselin’s institutionalization and eventual estrangement from his mother, Kate Gosselin. Here’s what Collin, now 18 years old, has said about his turbulent relationship with his mom and their 2016 fall out.
8 Kate Gosselin Moved Collin To A Special Needs Institution In 2016
Following Kate and Jon Gosselin’s divorce, Kate, who had been awarded full legal custody of the Gosselin children, placed one of their sextuplets, Collin, in residential treatment for behavioral issues.
"Collin has special needs,” Kate explained to People at the time. “This has been a struggle we've had for a very long time, and it's one I've dealt with on my own. I've felt very alone in this.”
7 How Does Collin Gosselin Feel About Kate Labeling Him A Special Needs Child?
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Collin, now 18 years old, appeared disheartened that his mother had labeled him a special needs child.
"It's unfortunate that that's how my mom, you know, phrased me as a person. You know, I don't see those things and I don't think anybody else sees those things,” he told the outlet. “I hope that, if we met again one day, she would understand that, you know, it's not the case.”
6 Collin Gosselin’s Time In Residential Treatment Was Far From Pleasant
Rather than teach him the skills necessary to cope, Collin’s time in residential treatment turned out to be an incredibly harrowing ordeal.
"I was in a dark place mentally," Collin recalled during his interview with ET. "I think being in a place like that does more damage than it helps you."
5 Collin Gosselin Moved In With His Dad After Two Years Of Residential Treatment
After two years of moving in and out of residential treatment, Collin Gosselin made the monumental decision to reach out to his father, Jon Gosselin, for help.
“I was hopeless and, you know,” Collin admitted to ET, “I figured out how to write to my dad and that was kind of one thing that kind of helped me mentally figure out that there was a way out of there."
4 Being Institutionalized Damaged Collin Gosselin’s Relationship With His Mom
After retrieving him from residential treatment, Jon Gosselin was awarded sole physical and legal custody of Collin. Unfortunately, this development permanently severed any connection Collin had with his mother.
"After being [in residential treatment], I didn't have a relationship with her," Collin told ET. "Even before [being] there, I don't think we had much of a relationship and I think that just kept tearing it even more down."
3 Collin Gosselin Blames His Turbulent Relationship With His Mom On Publicity
According to Collin Gosselin, living in the limelight played a major role in his eventual estrangement from his mother.
"I want to believe it was because of TV and what being in the public eye does to a family. I think it tore us apart," he told ET. "It gave us less time to actually be together as a family, [and] more time to be in the public eye."
2 Has Collin Gosselin Made Peace With His Troubled Childhood?
Six years after their highly publicized falling out, Collin Gosselin has found a way to contextualize his turbulent relationship with his mother.
"I came to the conclusion that everybody has their own agenda, you know?" he explained to ET. "My mom had her own agenda, and I don’t know exactly what that was. But I was put in a tough spot and my agenda was to make it out on top of that tough spot."
1 Collin Gosselin Still Wants To Have A Relationship With His Mom
While some would assume that Collin and Kate’s relationship is beyond repair, Collin Gosselin still hopes that he and his mother will eventually reconcile.
"It's unfortunate that we didn't have a relationship," Collin told ET. "I think every son wants to have a relationship with their mom. But I'm doing very well."
