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Jon Gosselin ‘Surprised’ Ex Kate ‘Showed Interest’ in Hannah and Collin’s Graduation: ‘Just for Appearances’
Strained relationships. Jon Gosselin is surprised that his ex-wife, Kate Gosselin,“showed interest” in their children Hannah Gosselin and Collin Gosselin’s high school graduation, a family insider exclusively tells In Touch.
“She hasn’t been there for the kids in years,” the source says about Kate, 48. “It makes you wonder if this very public moment to show up was just for appearances.”
Jon, 46, who has full custody of Hannah and Collin, was visibly surprised when his ex made an appearance at the graduation ceremony on Monday, June 7, as the reality TV mom has been estranged from Collin for some time. According to an additional source, the exes did not speak throughout the event and Kate did not speak with her son as their relationship remains distant.
“Kate showing up for this one moment seemed very sad,” the insider continues. “Jon and Kate haven’t talked in years and the graduation was no different.”
The source adds that Jon is “so proud of his kids.”
“They worked hard and graduated with high grade point averages,” the insider notes. “He was truly excited to celebrate the day with his kids.”
Hannah was previously estranged from her mom, however, she recently reconnected with her mom on her 19th birthday in May.
“On to the next,” Hannah later shared on Instagram as she smiled holding her red graduation cap.
After Jon and Kate split after 10 years of marriage in 2009, Kate was awarded full legal custody of the duo’s eight kids, but the exes shared physical custody. While Jon was supposed to have regular visits with his kids, the dad of eight told ET that the kids chores “superseded” any activity and only saw his kids one night a week and every other weekend, however not all together.
“Their chores even supersede my custody,” Jon explained of his children’s lives at their mom’s house in November 2016. “So if they don’t get their chores done, they’re not coming to my house.”
That same year, the mom of eight later revealed that Collin was admitted into an institution to deal with his behavioral issues. “After being there, I didn’t have a relationship with her,” Collin told Entertainment Tonight in November 2022 of his time in the Fairmount Behavioral Health Institute. “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.
After a years-long custody battle, Jon was awarded custody of Hannah in 2018. Months later, the matriarch lost custody of Collin in December 2018 after Jon petitioned the court and she didn’t attend a hearing regarding the matter. Kate had requested the court date be postponed prior to the meeting. However, the request was denied and Jon was granted sole physical and sole legal custody of Collin. Collin went to live with Jon after he was released from the institute.
Meanwhile, the former couple’s other sextuplets – Leah, Alexis, Joel and Aaden – as well as their twins, Mady and Cara, remained in Kate’s custody. Collin and Hannah have lived with Jon full-time since 2018.
While the aspiring Marine explained that Kate’s absence from the court hearing years ago “didn’t really bother” him, he told ET, “It’s like I said, it’s on her own terms and if she doesn’t want to show up, she doesn’t have to show up.”
That same month, a source told In Touch that Kate “would be open” to reconciling with her estranged son, even though “she is still bitter over things he has said” about her. “He is her child, and she loves him regardless, but she can be very spiteful,” the insider explained. “Once you cross her it is difficult to recover.”
A separate insider gave In Touch an update on the Gosselin family dynamic in February, noting that Collin continues to have a strained relationship with his siblings since moving in with his father.
“None of the kids have even spoken to Collin in five years,” a source close to the family exclusively revealed in February. “And even in 2018, when they had a mandatory visitation, and the other kids treated him terribly.”
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