Bringing Up Bates stars Gil and Kelly Jo Bates are emotional on social media during an emotional day. It’s been a roller coaster season for the Bates family. Kelly Jo has been welcoming grandkids left and right, and some couples are making huge transitions. Some of them are Travis Clark and Katie Bates, who are currently healing from a cheating scandal. Lawson and Tiffany Bates have also expressed their desire to relocate. But amid their busy lives, the Bates family can’t help but get sad as they celebrate a heartbreaking day. Alyssa then took to social media to share how devastated she is. Keep reading to see their posts.
‘Bringing Up Bates‘: Papa Bill’s Heartbreaking Passing
Before his passing on May 13, 2025, Papa Bill had shown symptoms of dementia. In one of Carlin’s vlogs, she got emotional after seeing her grandfather forgetting her name. The Bringing Up Bates star later revealed that Papa Bill had to be under hospice care.
Eventually, Papa Bill passed away at the age of 86, leaving his wife, Mama Jane, behind. At this point, members of the Bates family are taking turns watching over Mama Jane in South Carolina. She’s currently recovering from a stroke. She also beat cancer in June 2025, but her radiation treatment took a huge toll on her physical strength. Some of them would bring Mama Jane’s great-grandkids, making her smile even more.
Bates Family Emotional On Sad Anniversary
Some members of the Bates family have begun sharing their tributes for Papa Bill on his first death anniversary. One of them is Alyssa, who shared that her heart is still broken one year since the passing of her grandfather. Kelly Jo couldn’t believe how time flies so fast, adding that they will forever love Papa Bill.
Kelly Jo then shared a clip featuring more memories of Papa Bill. Some of them are photos from when he was still younger, while the others feature his last few years with the family. Kelly Jo wrote, “So many of our best memories were with Papa Bill! It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we said goodbye, but our hearts will be forever reminded of all the love & happy moments we shared together!” Many Bringing Up Bates fans also took to the comments section to express their gratitude for all the memories Papa Bill left on and off the show.
- “What a wonderful person; reminds me so much of my Dad. It was 17 years yesterday! God bless.”
- “What a blessing to you all to have spent so many precious moments with him 🙏🏼💞”
- “Thank you for sharing Papa Bill with all of us!”
- “What a legacy he left!🙏❤️🙏”
What memories do you have about Papa Bill? Come back to Us for more Bringing Up Bates updates.
