Jon Gosselin's wife, Stephanie Lebo, is showing nothing but love and support for stepson Collin Gosselin after his new memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of Childhood, was released.
In a recent Instagram post, Lebo praised Collin and the book, writing, “Collin’s book has remained #1 in The New York Times Best Seller list for the second week in a row.”
She then shared words of encouragement to her stepson. “Collin, you are changing the world, and I hope you truly understand that. You’ve turned some of the darkest chapters of your life into something that will help others. You spent so many years fighting to be heard, and now the world is listening.”
“You are kind, intelligent, strong, and so incredibly loved,” Lebo continued. “You are SEEN. You are HEARD. And most importantly, you have nothing left to prove to anyone. You never had to earn love, kindness, or a place to belong. You deserved them all along.”
Lebo further stated, “Never let anyone’s negativity overshadow how far you’ve come or the difference you’re making. You have an entire village behind you, and I am beyond honored to be part of it.”
“Keep shining, Collin,” she added. “The world is listening, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. I love you… WE ALL love you.”
In his memoir, Collin opens up about growing up in the spotlight due to his family’s hit reality TV show, Jon & Kate Plus 8. The show followed former couple Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin as they raised their children, including Collin, his sextuplet siblings, and his twin sisters.
After the couple divorced in 2009, the show was renamed Kate Plus 8. Collin claimed in the book that his mother would physically and emotionally abuse him, which led to him being institutionalized. He eventually lived with his father. Kate has long denied the allegations and has even threatened to sue her son.
In an Instagram post last week, Collin thanked his supporters, writing, “To everyone who has shown me love, believed in me, and supported my journey, thank you. You remind me every day that there is so much more love in this world than cruelty.”
He then addressed his mother. “To my mother, who continues to spread lies in an attempt to conceal her abuse and break my spirit, it’s not working.” Collin went on to say he will continue to speak out about his childhood experience despite his mother’s words and denials.
“My determination to speak out for survivors will always be stronger than your attempts to silence,” he added. “You will never stop my mission to protect and advocate for other victims of abuse.”