Bringing Up Bates’ Gil and Kelly Jo Bates Give Update After His Heart Attack

Bringing Up Bates’ Gil and Kelly Jo Bates are giving fans an update after his heart attack.

“I’ve been missing on here for a few weeks, but here’s a little glimpse of life after Gil’s heart attack…” a Friday, October 9, post via the official Bates family’s Instagram account began, alongside photos of the family. “We’ve been showered by love from children & grandchildren, with a house full of noise & laughter — the BEST medicine for recovery! We’ve also received so many sweet texts & calls from friends checking on Gil! Our church family has been such a huge blessing as well!”

The message noted that “not every day has been a slow day,” quipping that “getting Gil to take it easy is next to impossible.”

“Our water pump at our spring went out, & he worked throughout the day, plus stayed up until 5am two nights in a row working to repair it!” the post read. “Thankfully, Isaiah & his boss, along with Zach, Jud, & Jeb all helped & worked countless hours with Gil, digging a 600 ft trench to lay new wiring & replace the pump. I can’t even begin to thank each for all their help, because Gil would’ve certainly tried to tackle it himself!”

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The post continued, “He’s a trooper & is feeling great! He got a good report at his follow up doctor appointment today, & next week, therapy begins! We just keep being reminded daily how different our lives could look right now had Gil not gotten the help he did in the timing that he did. We are truly feeling blessed & grateful!”

The family shared last month that Gil had suffered a heart attack days after son Warden tied the knot with Kaybrie Bates for a second time. (Gil and Kelly Jo are the parents of 19 children, whom they welcomed after marrying in 1987.)

“Once again the Lord has been so merciful to us!” a post via the official Bates family’s Instagram account read in September. “For the past 2 weeks Gil has felt an unusual feeling in his chest lasting about 30 seconds off & on, and occasionally his jaw would hurt. He wasn’t in pain, but he felt like something wasn’t right. Busy schedules, work, & the fact that he didn’t know for certain that something was wrong kept him from going to the hospital.”

The message continued, “On Mon[day] night, after finishing a tree job & mowing several yards, he decided to drive to the ER, thinking they’d do some blood work & send him home. Instead, he was quickly whisked into a room & was told he was having a mild heart attack. They immediately started him on nitro & heparin & kept him stable until the day shift doctors could do a heart cath on Tues.”

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The post noted that “the cath procedure took 4 hrs, as they had to do extensive work to the LAD artery (nicknamed the widow maker),” adding that Gil had 80 percent blockage “in that artery and a lot of calcium build up.”

“A regular balloon would not open it, so they used Shockwave (lithotripsy) & then placed a 24 mm stent in it,” the message read. “Next, they put a 48mm stent (the longest stent) in the RCA artery in the back of his heart (where he had the actual heart attack). He had a 95 percent blockage in that artery. There was a 3rd artery with a 45-50 percent blockage that did not require a stent. The doctor said Gil had been a ‘ticking time bomb’ & he was extremely close to having a major heart attack!”

The message shared that “fortunately, it was corrected in time,” and the family were “living out a MIRACLE” by being able to go home.

“The doctor said it could’ve been a VERY different story, & I could’ve been going home alone, which is how that artery earned its nickname!” the post read. “Gil will be starting cardiac therapy next week, along with some other diet & medicine changes, but his normal activity should be able to resume!”

The message concluded, “We’re beyond thankful for the love, care, & many prayers we’ve been showered with from family, friends, & medical staff these past 2 days. We would also covet your prayers, but mostly, we just want to lift our hands in praise to a powerful, wonderful, loving God for extending Gil’s life & letting us have another day to witness His goodness ❤️.”