'Jon & Kate Plus 8' Star Jon Gosselin Says He Split From Colleen Conrad Before Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Jon Gosselin and Colleen Conrad have called it quits after seven years together.
The Jon & Kate Plus 8 alum spoke to The Sun about the split and said that it had nothing to do with her recent cancer battle.
Conrad announced on Instagram earlier this week that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in April. Last month she had a single mastectomy on her right breast, which was followed by a DIEP Flap procedure. Fans began to speculate that the former flames were having trouble in paradise when Gosselin was not mentioned in the post.
"I was also lucky enough to have support through amazing friends and family but mostly my 2 kids Jesse and Jordan and my sister Debbie. Even though My sister was 1200 miles away. She was always there supporting me. I have one last surgery in about 2 months but I feel good!!" the 51-year-old wrote.
The reality star told The Sun that their relationship had become "fraught" last summer throughout the coronavirus pandemic. "We had some struggles and we tried to push through them as best we could, but it didn't really work out the way we thought it would," he explained. "I still love and care for Colleen but we've both determined that it’s the natural end.”
The 44-year-old said that the couple broke up and got back together more than once and even tried couple's therapy to try to make things work.
In late 2020, Gosselin tested positive for COVID-19. He spent 11 days in the hospital and said that while Conrad was "super supportive," the strain on their relationship grew. Then in February, they decided to call things off for good.
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Gosselin said that after the split, he made plans to relocate from Pennsylvania to Florida, but then Conrad got the diagnosis. "It was heart-breaking and scary. I love Colleen so I decided to stand by her and do the best I can," he explained. "I cared for her regardless of the state of our relationship."
"I wanted to see it through and support her through her treatment and work through it all," the father of eight said. "I have very good medical insurance, it covers the whole family, so I knew that would be the best option for her."
Despite the split, the pair are still living together. "We're not communicating very effectively or at all right now. We're just trying to get by," Gosselin said. "I told Colleen I had found a new place to live, which didn’t go down too well."
Gosselin said that he was surprised to be left out of his ex's post about her cancer battle. "I went to most of the appointments in Philadelphia, took time off work to drive her there," he told the outlet. "I tried to support her as best I could, being by her side and meeting with all the doctors, trying to understand the cancer and her diagnosis, doing all the research and being as supportive as I could."
"I was at her surgeries while still trying to hold down my job. I was pretty much stretched to the max and overwhelmed and exhausted," he explained. "I think I did my best for her, trying to be the best kind of friend, I guess, while knowing full well that we might not end up together in the end."
Gosselin told the outlet that the breakup was a mutual decision and that her health outcome looks "fantastic." "It's always very difficult to end a relationship, but I think we've given it a pretty good go," he said.
Prior to dating Conrad, Gosselin was married to Kate Gosselin.
