Now that Collin Gosselin has extended an olive branch to his estranged siblings, he’s done what he can.
Collin has described his traumatic childhood with Kate in harrowing detail. It is a testament to his character that he has grown into the young man that he is.
He also has supportive family and loved ones who helped him salvage what was left of his adolescence. However, many of his own siblings still do not speak to him.
It isn’t for lack of trying to Collin’s part. He’s taken the first step. Now, the proverbial ball is in their court.
On Wednesday, October 16, Us Weekly released an interview with Jon Gosselin in which he discussed Collin Gosselin and how most of the siblings remain in a state of estrangement.
“Collin will hopefully repair that,” Jon Gosselin expressed aspirationally.
Collin and his brothers and sisters, with the exception of Hannah Gosselin, have not spoken since 2016.
“It’s a two way street,” Jon Gosselin then characterized. “You know what I mean?”
He added: “He’s offered the olive branch, so hopefully the olive branch will be returned.”
That is to say that Collin has expressed his desire to open up communication with Mady, Cara, Alexis, Joel, Leah, and Aaden — all of whom spent their entire childhoods under Kate’s thumb and, it sadly seems, have bought into Kate’s way of thinking. (Though, as we have discussed in past reporting, this is a common phenomenon among siblings with a toxic parent)
For the record, Hannah still talks to (almost) everyone
Jon Gosselin acknowledged that Hannah, who escaped Kate’s custody in her early teens and was able to live with Jon even before Jon was able to rescue Collin from his institutionalization, speaks to all of her siblings. But then, Hannah didn’t become the target of Kate’s ire in the way that Collin did.
“Every time I’m in New York or whatever, I reach out and try to get some stimulation from my twins or whatever,” Jon said, referring to his own estrangement.
“Maybe one day it’ll just happen, but we’ll see,” he acknowledged. “We talk about it a lot. Holidays are coming and maybe that’ll happen.”
In 2023, Collin Gosselin appeared on Dark Side of the 2000s in an episode titled “Jon & Kate: Family Circus.”
Collin pointedly explained how Kate had driven a wedge between him and to his siblings. He also described her alleged abuse — allegations that did not come as a surprise to people who have followed the sad story of the Gosselin family for years.
When Kate institutionalized him at 12 years of age, he says that she also convinced many of his siblings that he was dangerous, flawed, and that she’d had no other choice. “She told them the story one way, and, obviously, I see the story a different way.”
Despite everything, Collin Gosselin has grown into a determined young man
Though his institutionalization as a tween ended his dreams of serving his country in the Marine Corps, Collin has pivoted to attending college.
Kate has repeatedly villified Collin — which might be shocking if it did not seem so consistent with who Kate has chosen to be.
However, those who actually know him — from Jon to Hannah to even his dad’s ex-girlfriend — have praised his character.