Nathan Bates
Nathan Bates
Nathan Bates is the son of Gil Bates and Kelly Bates.[1]
He is the younger brother of Michaela Bates and Erin Paine and Zachary Bates and Lawson Bates, and the older brother of Trace, Katie, Jackson, Warden, Isaiah, Addallee, Ellie, Callie, Judson, and Jeb Bates, Alyssa Webster, Tori Smith, Carlin Stewart, and Josie Balka.[1]
Early Life
Kenneth Nathaniel "Nathan" Bates was born on August 29, 1993, to Gil Bates and Kelly Bates.
He was the fifth child, and fourteen more children came after him.
Along with his siblings, Nathan was home-schooled growing up.
He was also raised as an active participant of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles. [2]
As an adult, Nathan enjoys water sports, but it is unknown if the hobby began during his childhood.[1]
Career
Since Nathan was a kid he has also wanted to be a preacher.[2]
In 2013, Nathan completed first responder training and started working as a volunteer fireman for the Medford Fire department.
He is presently an EMR and a reserved deputy sheriff with the Anderson County Sheriff Department.[1]
In April of 2017, Nathan earned his private pilot's license.
He is presently working on earning his commercial license.[2]
Missionary Work
Nathan has a heart for missions, and has gone on a number of mission trips.
In 2011, Nathan and three of his siblings went on a ten day mission trip to Guatemala, where they engaged in manual labor to help a local orphanage.[2]
In 2014, after hearing about a massive storm in the Philippines, Nathan began talking to a friend whose father, Pastor Tan, served there. Pastor Tan put Nathan in touch with Blessing International, and Nathan, along with his brother Lawson Bates and friend John-David Duggar, traveled to the Philippines to provide medical assistance to victims of the storm.[2]
As of 2018, he does regular work in the Phillippines as an EMR, including trying to get the 911 system operational.[2]
Courtship
Lawson and Ashley shortly after beginning courtship
An episode of Bringing Up Bates on March 31, 2016, revealed that Nathan was courting Ashley Salyer. [1]
After asking her father for permission, Nathan started planning how to ask her out.
They had already been talking and hanging out for six months before the episode's filming.
The next episode aired on April 7, 2016, showed Nathan and his brother Lawson taking in the sights of New York City with Ashley and her sister Anastasia before Nathan asked her out.
On June 16, 2016, an episode of Bringing Up Bates showed Nathan and Ashley talking through struggles they were having.
"You know, I don't want Ashley to change,"[2]
Nathan said to his parents.
"I love her and who she is, but at the same time, we do have concerns.
We have, sometimes, a lot of conflict, and neither one of us are really, you know, sure that God wants us to get married."
Nathan ended his courtship with Ashley on June 30, 2016.[1]