Kate Gosselin celebrated the 20th birthday of her sextuplets with a rare photo of them all grown up, but two of the six siblings were missing from the celebration as the family continues to deal with the dramatic fallout from their reality TV days.
Kate Gosselin celebrated a milestone moment with her sextuplets as they turned 20 years old. The former reality TV star shared a rare photo on Instagram featuring four of her six children, Alexis, Aaden, Leah, and Joel, marking their transition into adulthood.
Conspicuously absent from the celebration were Collin and Hannah, who have chosen to live with their father, Jon Gosselin, after the tumultuous aftermath of the family's reality show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8." The family's estrangement has been a source of ongoing drama in recent years.
Kate and Jon Gosselin rose to fame after giving birth to twins and sextuplets, becoming reality TV royalty with their show "Jon & Kate Plus 8." However, their marriage crumbled, and their divorce and subsequent custody battles played out on camera.
After the couple's split, Collin reportedly began exhibiting behavioral issues, leading Kate to send him away to a psychiatric hospital at age 12 without informing other family members. Collin later claimed that his mother abused him at home and sent him away to silence him.
Jon Gosselin fought for custody of both Collin and Hannah, eventually winning full custody of Hannah and having Collin removed from a separate psychiatric facility. Despite their troubled past, Jon has maintained a close relationship with both his estranged children.
Hannah has a relationship with Collin, but the other sextuplets have distanced themselves from him. Collin has not spoken to his siblings since 2016, citing the social barriers imposed by his mother and their differing perspectives on the family's past.
Kate Gosselin has vehemently denied the abuse allegations made by Collin, calling them "absolutely" unfounded. However, Collin's claims have cast a shadow over the family's image and the portrayal of Kate as a devoted mother.
Despite the passage of time, the estrangement between Collin and his siblings persists. Hannah has commented on the painful division within the family, acknowledging that each sibling has their own perspective on the events that have unfolded.
The Gosselin family's story serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of reality TV and the lasting impact of family conflicts that play out in the public eye. The estrangement between Kate and some of her children highlights the complex and often heartbreaking consequences of fame and family feuds.
