Art Bell III was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, to Arthur Bell, Jr., a United States Marine Corps captain, and Jane Gumaer Bell, a Marine drill instructor. Arthur Bell, Jr. died in 2000, and Jane Bell died December 23, 2008. Bell has always been interested in radio, and at the age of 13 became a licensed amateur radio operator. Bell now holds an Amateur Extra Class license, which is in the top U.S. Federal Communications Commission license class.

By the end of January, Bell began hinting that he was making a significant life decision, but that he would keep it a secret for at least one year, asking listeners to remind him in 2007 to let them in on it. By March, he was saying that he would soon take a "huge risk" and "do something rash". On April 15, 2006, he ended the mystery and, to the mild surprise of listeners, revealed that, after several weeks of mourning, he had recently gone to the Philippines and married Airyn Ruiz. Airyn Ruiz Bell is a recent college graduate. Ruiz - given Bell's private e-mail address by an amateur radio friend - had contacted Bell to offer condolences shortly after Ramona's death. After "dating" via Internet videoconferencing for "hundreds of hours," the two married one week after Bell arrived in the Philippines to actually meet her in person. Bell also paid for his friend - who was courting Airyn's sister - to accompany him to the Philippines and marry her. The two couples wed in a double marriage ceremony on April 11, 2006.  On October 7, 2006, Bell announced on Coast to Coast that Ruiz was pregnant with the couple's first child. Bell told listeners that the couple's child was indeed a girl as many listeners suspected. He noted that they had been hoping for a girl and had announced only a girl's name for their unborn child in hopes of receiving a girl.  Bell and Airyn's baby girl, Asia Rayne Bell, was born by caesarean section on May 30, 2007. Bell and Airyn also had a baby boy, Alexander William Bell, on July 1, 2017. Answer this question using a quote from the following article:

Was his family supportive of the marriage?
Bell also paid for his friend - who was courting Airyn's sister - to accompany him to the Philippines and marry her.