MediaPunch/Shutterstock; Courtesy Kate Gosselin/Instagram (inset)
Jon Gosselin Makes Public Plea to Aaden, Alexis, Joel and Leah: ‘You’re Welcome to Come Over’
Former TLC reality star Jon Gosselin made a public plea to his estranged kids, Joel, Aaden, Leah and Alexis, who reside with his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin. The Jon and Kate Plus 8 alum, 43, expressed how he wishes his family could reunite in an interview on Monday, May 18.
“Leah, Aaden, Joel and Alexis, I love you. You’re welcome to come over, call Hannah, Collin,” he pleaded via a video call with Entertainment Tonight. “I don’t know what’s holding you up. I don’t know what the ill will is, but if you watch or don’t watch or see it on the internet, I love you, happy [16th] birthday.”
He continued, “Sorry I have to go through media channels. I know no one likes that or whatever, but it’s kinda hard to reach out to you,” he added. “But anyway, good luck and hopefully you call or call Hannah and you can walk to my house. It’s all good.”
After Jon and Kate divorced in 2009, Kate was granted custody of all eight of their children. Jon later won custody of Hannah and Collin in 2018 and they now live with him full-time.
This isn’t the first time Jon has publicly reached out to his estranged children. In an interview in August 2016, Jon shared details about his relationship with his twin daughters, Mady and Cara, at the time. “Mady and Cara I don’t see that much, or that often … we’re kind of not talking right now.”
Two weeks later, the now-19-year-olds slammed Jon’s comments. “He makes it seem like we’re being kept from him, which is insane … He should maybe spend some time thinking about why we don’t want to see him, and maybe realize that if he ever does want a relationship with us, talking about us on TV is not the way to make that happen,” Mady said at the time.
After seeing Mady and Cara’s reaction to his public plea in 2016, he decided that might not be the best way to reconnect with the older girls. Jon shared an update on his relationship with the twins in October 2019, and revealed he has reached out to them privately since then, mostly just to wish them a happy birthday. “But I just didn’t do anything publicly because … Their last interview or whatever … it was like okay, I’m just not going to say anything. I get it, okay. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything or post anything anymore. Let them live their lives. I know they’re happy,” he exclusively told In Touch at the time.
At this point, “custody is really up to the kids,” Jon said. “If Hannah really wants to go, I just drop her off or Kate comes to pick her up or whatever. There’s no … I can’t control that. And that’s the way it should be.” Hopefully, the Gosselin family can finally reunite after years of turmoil.
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