‘Bringing Up Bates’ Star Erin Bates Heads Home, Says ‘We Don’t Have All the Answers’
Michael Foust
Audio By Carbonatix
By Michael Foust, Crosswalk.com
Bringing Up Bates star Erin Bates Paine is thanking fans for their support after she was discharged from the hospital nearly three weeks following a difficult delivery that led to major complications. Paine gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Henry Blythe on Aug. 25 but soon developed sepsis, a dangerous condition that can cause organ failure and even death. She battled a kidney infection and also experienced a seizure as her husband, Chad, posted frequent updates.
She was discharged Sept. 13 and posted photos of her and her newborn online, saying she is grateful even though the family still has unanswered medical questions. In one picture, Paine was sitting in a wheelchair, smiling.
“After almost three weeks in the hospital, I have never been so thankful to finally head home to our babies,” she wrote on Instagram, referencing not only Henry but the couple’s six other children. “We don’t have all the answers yet, and I still don’t have function in my right leg, but we are choosing to count every blessing -- especially the gift of being together again. Your prayers have carried us through and mean the world to our family.”
In another update, she posted a video of food her mother had cooked, writing, “So thankful to have my Mom here to help us navigate this journey!”
The series Bringing Up Bates followed parents Gil and Kelly Jo Bates and their 19 children as they navigated daily life in their large family, highlighting faith, courtships, weddings, and the ups and downs of raising kids in rural Tennessee. The reality show aired on UPtv from 2015 to 2021. The family is Christian.
Her brother, Lawson Bates, wrote, “You guys are the best! So proud of you, and continuing to pray for a complete and total healing.”
Sister Carlin Bates Stewart, who also recently gave birth, added, “So happy you are home!!!”
Her parents also posted encouraging words.
“We’ve all enjoyed every moment with the both of you- through the tears & the laugh,” Gil and Kelly Jo wrote. “... We love you so much & we’d travel to the moon & back to get to be with you!”
Related Article: ‘Bringing Up Bates’ Star Erin Bates Moved to New Hospital during Recovery Process
Photo Credit: ©Erin Bates Paine
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
