Nick was born to an irresponsible father who was rarely around, and an unnamed mother. Due to this, Nick's uncle, Pete, took on the responsibility of raising his nephew. Pete felt that it was best for Nick to learn about the cruelties of the world as soon as possible. Because of this approach, Pete was often condescending and brutally honest with Nick about life and his place in the world, causing Nick to suffer low self-esteem and anger issues, which resulted in a serious strain on their relationship that continued throughout their lives.