It takes a village—just ask Erin Bates Paine‘s family.
In the wake of the “Bringing Up Bates” star’s hospitalization due to complications from giving birth to her and husband Chad Paine’s seventh child, her family has come together to assist in caring for their newborn son named Henry.
“During this tough period, our family and friends have shown us an incredible amount of love and assistance. Chad, along with Erin and their kids Carson (10), Brooklyn (8), Everly (7), Holland (5), Finley (3), and William (22 months), expressed their gratitude on Instagram on September 12. They shared that you’ve not only been there for the children, taking them on outings, but also helping with baby Henry and offering encouragement to Erin-support that they can hardly find words to express.”
Besides uploading a picture of his wife of 11 years lying in her hospital bed, Chad also posted photos of Henry, who seemed to be using a breathing tube, attached to his nose. One image displayed Gil Bates and Kelly Bates sitting by the baby boy’s hospital crib, while in another photo, Henry was being held by his aunt, Tori Bates Smith.
As a devoted admirer, I cannot express enough how greatly Chad’s unwavering support and affection towards Erin have been a profound source of blessing to us all. Together with Kelly, we continue to hold on to hope for her complete recovery and the revelation of answers.
The 34-year-old was characterized as courageous and robust by their parents, who expressed their deep affection by saying, “We adore you immensely, and we would journey across space and time just to be near you!
After welcoming Henry on August 25, Erin’s health began to deteriorate. As Chad had shared on Instagram earlier, the labor was particularly prolonged and intense compared to previous experiences. Consequently, Erin suffered from a severe urinary tract infection and kidney infection, which led to septic shock.
According to Gil and Kelly, there has been a recurring change in her diagnosis since she was admitted to the ICU.
On September 10th, they shared on Instagram that she keeps getting better from one issue, only to face another problem. This has left the doctors perplexed as they’ve conducted numerous tests and don’t have a definitive diagnosis yet. With her condition frequently changing, it’s been more challenging for them to provide updates.
While there have been some challenging times that have brought tears to our eyes, my family and I have found ourselves overwhelmed with profound gratitude for the unwavering love that envelops us.
To learn more about the Bates family, keep reading.
William Gilvin “Gil” Bates, the wrestling champion of South Carolina, crossed paths with Kelly Bates (formerly Callaham) at Anderson University, a Christian liberal arts school in South Carolina, where she was assigned to help him with Chemistry studies. In October 1987, while both were completing their education at Carson-Newman University in Tennessee, Gil proposed, marking the beginning of an unexpected union. They tied the knot merely two months later. Initially, they didn’t envision a large family, yet neither advocated for birth control. In 2011, during an interview with Dateline, Gil shared that they decided to entrust their family size to God, initially expecting no more than two or three children.
The oldest son, Zachary Bates, was born a year after their wedding; their 19th child, and second son named Jeb Bates, came along in 2012. Kelly often jokes about Gil, who operates an excavating company called Bates Tree Service, saying, “Daddy is great at remembering names. His memory is better than mine.”
Zachary, born on December 30, 1988, was like his siblings educated at home and an enthusiastic student of Bill Gothard’s Institute in Basic Life Principles. His romantic journey with Sarah Reith was documented on the show “19 Kids and Counting”, but it was Whitney Perkins who caught his affections while both worked at Sonic Drive-In. He proposed just two months into their relationship in 2013, marrying that same December. John-David Duggar served as one of the groomsmen at the wedding. The couple has since expanded their family with sons Bradley (born October 2014), Jayden (June 2021), daughters Kaci (June 2016), Khloé (November 2019) and Lily Jo (August 2023).
Beyond his work at the family’s tree service, Zachary has also held positions as a law enforcement officer, a member of the county commission, and a real estate broker.
Born on January 23, 1990, a mere 13 months after her elder brother, Michaela Bates Keilen honed her sewing skills at a tender age, crafting the majority of her family’s dresses and managing their laundry tasks. Not until his graduation from bible college could Brandon Keilen, her future spouse, propose to her. They then spent two years courting before getting engaged in April 2015.
Following their August wedding, the couple moved to Chicago and faced challenges in starting a family. Michaela openly shared her fertility issues through blog entries and videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, they endured a miscarriage in 2021; however, they later became foster parents to two young boys.
Erin Bates Pain shared with People that when she reflects on her upbringing by her parents, there’s nothing particularly negative that comes to mind. Instead, she finds that everything seems positive in hindsight, and they created some of the most cherished memories together. (May 2, 1991)
Instead of having a television, we often spent quality time with Dad in place of that, engaging in family games or creating precious memories. Consequently, I never felt deprived, and I even believe we became more intelligent due to this arrangement.
After Erin got married to Charles “Chad” Stephen Paine III in 2013, they eagerly anticipated having a large family. However, due to a blood clotting disorder, they experienced multiple miscarriages before they were blessed with Carson in May 2015, Brooklyn in August 2016, Everly in May 2018, Holland in November 2019, and Finley in January 2022. Surprisingly, despite initially thinking they wouldn’t be able to have more children, they expanded their family with William in October 2023 and Henry in August 2025. Following Henry’s birth, Chad shared on Instagram, “We would greatly appreciate your prayers for Erin as she recovers from some complications that occurred during her recovery.”
Lawson Bates, a business owner who started his own lawn-care service called Lawson’s Lawncare at the age of 13 (born on July 27, 1992), was rumored to be connected with Jana Duggar due to his comments on some of her Instagram posts. However, he later announced his engagement to Tiffany Espensen after proposing during a vacation in Italy, in October 2021. In an interview with People at the time, the talented singer-songwriter expressed that getting to know Tiffany – her feelings, aspirations, and dreams – had brought him the most happiness, and they had been creating many delightful memories together over the past year.
In May 2022, the couple got married on a yacht near San Diego’s coast. Tragically, they experienced a miscarriage at that time. However, they were blessed with a son named William in July 2024. Not even a year had passed when they announced they were expecting their second child.
Ken Bates entered our family circle on August 29, 1993. While he showcased his romantic journey with Ashley Salyer on ‘Bringing Up Bates’, he later became engaged to Esther Keyes in May 2021. They tied the knot in October of the same year, and their first kiss was exchanged at the altar, just like many of his siblings. A daughter named Kenna arrived in their family a year later, followed by son Graham in October 2024. Having aspired to be a preacher since young, he has served through numerous mission trips and as a first responder.
Alyssa Bates Webster, born on November 9, 1994, served as the family’s secretary, shopped for clothes, and prepared many meals. She worked on Daniel Webster’s campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she met his son John Webster. They got engaged in January 2014 and married later that year. The couple residing in Florida had their first child, Alli, in April 2015, followed by Lexi in January 2017, Zoey in March 2018, Maci in February 2021, and Rhett in March 2023. Their family now includes four daughters and one son.
Born on December 20, 1995, a full year after her elder sister, Tori Bates Smith started dating Bobby Smith in the year 2016, their relationship being showcased on their family’s reality series. They got married shortly after getting engaged in December 2017. The graduate of Crown College of the Bible’s elementary education program and Bobby became parents to son Robert IV in November 2018, followed by son Kolter in May 2020, daughter Charlotte in June 2021, daughter Cambree in August 2022, and son Weston in May 2024.
On February 1, 1997, Trace Bates, who is named after a harvester of white fields, made his arrival. After a public courtship shown on television, he met his future wife Lydia Romeike through his sister Josie Bates Balka. They announced their engagement in March 2022 on YouTube (“Lydia is my best friend and the most positive influence in my life,” Trace explained). The couple tied the knot in October of that year, with 350 guests in attendance, including Jason Duggar who acted as an usher. Their first child, Ryker, was born in October 2023. In June 2025, they were blessed with their rainbow baby, a daughter named Kaia.
On April 11th, 1998, Carlin Bates Stewart completed her high school education alongside her brother Trace after attending dual enrollment at a nearby college. Her sister Erin facilitated an introduction between her and Evan Stewart, who announced their engagement in September 2018. They tied the knot the following May (with Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth as one of Carlin’s bridesmaids), and their first child, Layla, was born in January 2020, a moment captured for television on ‘Bringing Up Bates’. A son, Zade, followed in March 2022, and the couple announced the arrival of their third child in September 2025.
Gil and Kelly welcomed their tenth child on August 4, 1999. She later met her future husband Kelton Balka at a piano recital in 2014, but they didn’t start dating until 2017. Their engagement was captured on camera in June 2018, and they married that same October with cameras present. Willow was born in July 2019, followed by Hazel in June 2021. Miles joined the family in February 2024, and they announced another pregnancy in April 2025.
On October 5th, 2000, Katie Bates Clark was affectionately given the name ‘Pure Grace’. In a 2019 Facebook Live, she shared her romantic journey with Travis Clark, announcing their ocean-side engagement in April 2021. The duo tied the knot in December of the same year and started expanding their family. Daughter Hailey was born in February 2023, followed by son Harvey in September 2024. Katie graduated from The Crown College, earning a cosmetology license. She has been employed as a stylist at her sister Josie’s company, Effortless Beauty, and serves as a model for Bates Sisters Boutique.
As one of the esteemed companions, I find myself alongside Warden Bates and Isaiah Bates, and it’s Jackson Bates who graced us with his presence on February 17, 2002. My life took an exciting turn when I met my future wife, Emerson Wells, at a Florida rodeo in the year that followed. Our joyous engagement was announced in March 2023, and we tied the knot in October of the same year, with Jason Duggar serving as one of our groomsmen. In July 2025, our family expanded with the birth of our son, David.
Known as “Tigger” for his lively personality, Warden (born May 19, 2003) is a sports enthusiast and also enjoys singing. Balancing work has been a part of his life, as he’s involved with both his father’s excavating company and brother-in-law Chad’s Paine Construction business.
On October 16, 2004, the third musketeer made his appearance. As an alumnus of Crown College (obtaining a one-year Bible Certificate for Foundation of Christian Life in 2023), he had been working for both his father and brother-in-law Chad before launching his own lawn care enterprise in the year 2022.
After Addalee Bates was born on February 17, 2006, she faced breathing difficulties due to being premature and wears hearing aids. Her parents, in an effort to remind her of her second chance at life, added extra letters to her name. In the year 2025, Addalee successfully completed her one-year bible program.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share my excitement over the radiant presence that is Ellie Bates! Known for her name signifying a strong beam of light, she graced our screens on April 28, 2007. This shining star often captivates us in photo shoots for the Bates Sisters Boutique – each image illuminating her charm and grace.
Among Gil and Kelly’s daughters, it was Callie-Anna Bates who came into the world on August 2, 2009. Known for her energetic and captivating personality, as described by Kelly herself on Instagram in August 2020, she possesses a charm that attracts people much like a magnet!
Ever since Jud Bates arrived on September 15, 2010, he’s blossomed astonishingly fast, as stated in a December 2020 Instagram post by Kelly. Despite encountering some difficulties along the way, he suffered two fractures in his right collarbone – one during a football game and another while riding an e-bike.
As a doting parent of nineteen children, I welcomed my twentieth, Jeb Bates, into the world on February 1, 2012. For a brief period, he required care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Despite the anticipation and joy that comes with the arrival of each new family member, I found myself just as excited and anxious with this little one as I was with our very first child. I shared these feelings with People magazine at the time.
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2025-09-13 01:17