Collin Gosselin Grateful for Sextuplet Sister, Hannah, as They Earn Their High School Diploma

Collin Gosselin, the son of Kate Plus 8 stars Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin, took to Instagram on Wednesday (June 21) to share a rare photo of him and his sister, Hannah Gosselin, in the back of their father’s convertible. The brother-sister duo had just graduated high school and still had their robes on. 

“Better late than never!” he wrote in the caption – adding he wasn’t ‘totally sold on the idea of making a graduation post’ since it’s something most students do and, therefore, isn’t much of an accomplishment. Instead, he dedicated the post to his ‘mentors, friends, and of course family’ who helped him get there.

The first person he shouted out in the caption was his sister, Hannah – who he refers to as his ‘number 1’ for always standing by his side and supporting him. They’ve grown very close since deciding to move in with their father – opposed to the four other Gosselin sextuplets, who currently live with their mother. 

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“I would like to thank my dad, who has taught me so much about running into hard times and moving past them, about resilience. Thank you dad for always supporting my decisions, and having my back when I bite off more than I can chew,” Collin Gosselin wrote of his father – who attended the graduation. 

He also thanked his father’s ex-girlfriend, Colleen Conrad, who has always been a supportive figure in his life – even after she and Jon split in August 2021. The couple were together for seven years, but decided to split just four months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jon has continued to support her. 

“I’d like to thank Colleen for rooting for me day in and day out. When you think of someone you want by your side, you think of Colleen. And as I’ve told her many times, she is my motivator for being successful in this world,” he wrote of Colleen – who was also in attendance and took a photo with Collin in his robe.

He also took a moment to thank three of his closest Army Junior ROTC instructors. He called them ‘three of the realest, most humble, and genuine leaders’ he has ever met. “Collectively they have taught me some of the most valuable lessons that I will carry by my side for life,” he wrote in the Instagram caption. 

Collin Gosselin Will Join the Marine Corps Soon

In the post, Collin Gosselin clarified that he will be enlisting in the Marine Corps over the Army because he welcomed the challenge. Acknowledging this chapter of his life is over, he looks forward to Parris Island (where he’ll join other recruits) before studying mechanical and industrial engineering in college. 

His sister, Hannah – who turned 19 years old on May 10 – took to Instagram on June 4 to celebrate her graduation. She posted two photos of her holding her graduation cap (which read ‘WHS 2023). “On to the next,” she wrote in the caption – opting for a much shorter caption than her brother, who wrote in length.

The posts come just a few weeks after their father, Jon Gosselin, spoke with PEOPLE at a recent Kickz for Kids charity event. He acknowledged having eight children graduating this year (his older twins graduated college, while his sextuplets graduated high school), but he was only there for two of them. 

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“The only kids I see and talk to are Hannah and Collin. So I’ve been pretty much estranged from Mady and Cara for nine years,” he said – also acknowledging that the other four kids live with their mother. While Jon finds it ‘very difficult’ to be estranged from most of his family, he’s happy he has Collin and Hannah.