TLC was establishing its reputation for producing bizarre or, at the very least, unusual TV shows, when “Table for 12” premiered on 23 March 2009. It featured a distinctive family, Hayes, comprised of two parents and ten children. They had two sets of twins, two boys as the older pair and a boy and a girl as the younger, and sextuplets, one of whom had cerebral palsy.
Suffice it to say; viewers were captivated by their life, especially since the show rode the wave of similar shows like “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” which aired in 2007, and “19 Kids and Counting,” which premiered in 2008. Sadly, the show went off the air in 2010 after a year, so where did the family members end up? We dug deep to find out.
Who are Hayes family members?
First, a quick reminder that father Eric and mother Betty Hayes at first had no idea they would have such a huge family. They were a traditional couple; he was a police officer, and she was a stay-at-home wife. However, they initially struggled to conceive, and therefore embarked on a medicine-aided journey in their hometown of Morganville, New Jersey, USA, and settled on IVF – in vitro fertilization – and FHC – follicle-stimulating hormone – treatments. Thus, their distinct family likely comes from genetic pre-dispositions and medical assistance.
TLC presumably introduced them to the audience in a November 2018 special entitled “Twins, Twins and Sextuplets” to gauge the interest. When they discovered viewers were curious, the production company documented their life in 29 episodes over two seasons, from March to December 2009. During their on-screen time, theyshowed everyday life events, such as taking family trips, celebrating birthdays, and taking to and from school. Though those activities were mundane, their unique family dynamic made them enjoyable.
Eric Hayes
Eric John Hayes, born on 31 March 1966, was introduced to the viewers at home doing sweet things. In the first episode, he took over household activities for his wife’s birthday, who took a day off to spend it in the spa with her daughter Meghan. Alongside the other nine children, he baked a cake, created birthday cards on pieces of cardboard, and recorded birthday wishes on video.
Throughout the show, we saw him take care of his children and take them bowling, snowboarding, to the water park, and martial arts practice. Eric was also skilled with his hands, and created many things around the house, including a house deck and a garden. Viewers also remember him for driving the family’s 15-passenger van, and promising a puppy, whom they named Caycee, in the “Hayes Get a Puppy” special that aired half a year after the last episode.
https://www.facebook.com/eric.hayes.9822/posts/1251209818795165:1251209818795165
Eric attended Marlboro High School in New Jersey, as did his children. Behind the scenes, Eric was the only parent with a public Facebook account – he told viewers that TLC canceled their show after two specials on 12 October 2010. Also, his online presence revealed to curious fans that he worked at Libby Inc. between 1982 and 1984. Although it’s unclear what it was, Lippy is the name of a lip balm and skincare brand nowadays.
Eric only posted once, in March 2015, a picture of himself with four children, before publishing his last post in May 2019. In it, he explained that their car broke down when Betty drove it, and praised a quick and reasonably priced intervention of the road assistance service, and the car mechanic shop.
His daughter, Meghan, revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in November 2021. Therefore, although Eric’s Facebook profile lists that he still works at the Marlboro Township Police Department, this information may be outdated.
Betty Hayes
Elizabeth Mary ‘Betty’ Hayes née Figler, was born on 15 December 1966. She stood out as a caring stay-at-home mother, who tried to entertain her children and keep things organized, including doing multiple loads of laundry, cleaning, food preparation, and ensuring the kids were ready for school.
Unfortunately, she didn’t maintain an online presence after the audience last saw her during the abovementioned special. She’s not among her husband’s Facebook friends, and opted to continue living away from the spotlight.
Kyle and Kevin Hayes
Kevin and Kyle Hayes, born on 3 May 1996, were the first set of twins the family welcomed. When the show aired, they were young teenagers becoming young adults; they went through typical teenage struggles and mostly a carefree childhood. We saw them get braces, play sports, and take responsibility for younger siblings to help their parents. Their younger brother Ryan, on a family stick figure graphics, described Kevin as interested in weightlifting, and Kyle as a relaxed person who likes to listen to music. Unfortunately, we have yet to learn where Kevin is nowadays.
Only Kyle has a Facebook account; on it, he explained that he completed student teaching but never clarified if he earned a degree and where or what he teaches. Kyle described himself as a musician, actor, and oxygen respiration enthusiast. He showed pictures from acting in a theater show, “Grease,” at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 2014. Similarly, Kyle shared that he was part of a symphonic orchestra, potentially the New Jersey Symphony. He remained close to his brother Ryan as of 2017, and had at least one girlfriend based on pictures he posted. In 2020, Kyle shared news about Portland, Maine voters approving landlords’ rights to increase rents, a set of measures entitled “New Green Deal,” and more changes. Although he expressed interest in the topic, he left his followers guessing whether he approved or condemned those developments.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPV2R1RhKa8/
Meghan Hayes and Kieran Hayes
Kieran and Meghan were the second set of twins in the family, born on 23 September 1998. They drew attention for being affectionate older siblings, and viewers particularly cherished the bond between Meghan and her sister Rebecca. Although Kieran seemingly lacks a social media presence, Meghan is occasionally active on Facebook, posting selfies and letting viewers know that the family is still close, and gathering for family pictures.
She also informed fans of her father’s illness, and raised nearly $1,000 for the 2022 Parkinson Council’s event entitled Walk to Stomp Out Parkinson’s. Simultaneously, Meghan advocates for gender equality, and follows Pegasus Production Company, a theatre and production company run by students based in Lincroft, New Jersey.
Ryan Hayes and other sextuplets
Ryan Hayes is the only member of the sextuplets, born on 14 September 2004, to maintain a somewhat active social media presence, primarily on Facebook. Rachel, Connor, Rebecca, EJ, and Tara seem inactive online or in media publications. He kept loyal fans up-to-date on fun activities such as playground games in December 2013, and family get-togethers throughout 2016. Additionally, Ryan shared that one of his brothers turned him and Connor into Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley from the metal band KISS in June 2014, with make-up, wigs, signature clothing, and guitars.
Through his and Meghan’s posts, fans could see that Rebecca liked baby goats growing up, and that the wheelchair she used in 2016 differed from the one featured in the show. Her state seemed unchanged in Meghan’s updates in 2018, meaning she still uses a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy she’s had since she was six months old. However, Rebecca also stood up straight and kept her head upright in most family pictures, indicating her upper body and neck strength have improved due to physical therapy.
The scarcity of updates about Hayes family members suggests they have all moved on since 2010. Although they appreciate their fans who want the show back on TV, and periodically answer some viewers’ questions in Facebook comments, they want to lead private lives and have no desire to return.
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