It’s been a couple of years since a judge awarded Jon Gosselin sole custody of son Collin, ultimately releasing him from the facility Kate put him in years prior to address undisclosed special needs Jon says he doesn’t have .
It’s clear Collin has been happy living with his dad. Not long after his release, Jon Gosselin spoke out about Collin’s plea to come home and how he desperately wanted his dad to “save” him from the facility he was in for so long.
A letter Collin wrote to his dad back in 2017 while inside the Fairmont Behavioral Health System facility came to light.
View this post on Instagram Glad I could celebrate my son Collin’s 14th birthday with him and his sister! A post shared by Jon Gosselin (@jongosselin1) on May 12, 2018 at 3:00pm PDT
Kate Gosselin made headlines in 2016 for sending Collin away to a facility . “I feel like I’ve made an investment in Collin’s future ,” the reality star mom once told People about her decision. “To know he’s somewhere that’s helping him reach his very best potential has been a relief in many ways.”
Sadly, Kate has been accused of not seeing Collin while he was in the facility. The Kate Plus 8 star got called out for skipping Collin’s custody hearing in December 2018, with Jon asserting months later Kate hadn’t seen her son since he got home. Yikes.
‘I told Mom [Kate Gosselin] I want to live with you, she said no,’ Collin’s letter to Jon read, ‘DailyMailTV’ reported.
View this post on Instagram Had a good weekend visit with Collin at home! A post shared by Jon Gosselin (@jongosselin1) on Nov 4, 2018 at 11:46am PST
“She can’t choose for me. I’m old enough now, I’m YOUR son, not hers,” Collin’s letter to his dad , written in crayon, continued. “She was abusive to me after I left your house. I’m sorry. Take this to court because … you’re my dad, my savior.”
Wow.
‘I’m counting on you to get me out of here. Daddy, I love you. save me. Please come FAST. I love you. Help me. BYE.’
View this post on Instagram A HUGE thank you to Eric Rodriguez @ebarber828 at Mike and Joes Barber shop for welcoming my son Collin home with a fresh new cut!!! Eric has cut my hair for 20 plus years. #family #teammikeandjoes I appreciate everything Eric and Everyone at Mike and Joes has done for me and my family over the years. Thank you guys for being there!!! A post shared by Jon Gosselin (@jongosselin1) on Nov 5, 2018 at 9:26am PST
“Kate … couldn’t deal with him,” Jon Gosselin told the news outlet about the situation. “He was alone for three and a half years with no parents, all alone. It was inhumane.”
We can’t even imagine how Collin Gosselin felt.
After he received the letter, Jon says he jumped into action, getting the money necessary to secure a lawyer to fight for his son.
View this post on Instagram Great weekend with Collin and Colleen, Philly Auto Show and The beach!!!! A post shared by Jon Gosselin (@jongosselin1) on Feb 4, 2019 at 5:59am PST
“[I] raised the money to get a lawyer and went through the courts to get joint legal custody,” the dad told DailyMailTV . As Jon explained, he was able to get Collin moved to another facility hours away from his home that made frequent visits more of a reality. “I’d drive out to Pittsburgh to visit him as much as I could and eventually it progressed to overnight stays before he was finally released into my custody,” he added.
Not long after, Collin was thriving at home and in life.
View this post on Instagram Happy 15th Birthday Hannah, Collin, Alexis, Aaden, Joel and Leah!!!! Wow I can’t believe you are 15!!! Time is flying by!!! I love you all very much. I wish you the best day ever and I hope you enjoy your birthday celebrations today and this weekend!!! Love always, Dad A post shared by Jon Gosselin (@jongosselin1) on May 10, 2019 at 4:17am PDT
“[He’s] an honor roll student, really smart [and] really intuitive,” Jon Gosselin told the outlet about his son’s success outside of the treatment facility. In fact, Collin celebrated his high school graduation in 2023.
In addition to Collin, Jon also has custody of his daughter Hannah. Kate fought to take back custody last year, but after two unsuccessful attempts, she began living with him as well. Jon and Kate’s other children — Aaden, Alexis, Joel, and Leah — still live with her, while twin daughters Cara and Mady moved onto college.
