Amber Portwood’s fiancé, Gary Wayt, went missing in June 2024, which was addressed in the latest episode of ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.’ Amber, clearly upset, talked about how worried she was about him just disappearing out of nowhere during the episode. We had already seen their relationship issues in Season 2, especially when she talked on the phone with her ex, Gary Shirley, about their daughter. Wayt sat beside her as the conversation got extremely heated between Portwood and Shirley.
The latest season has focussed on the couple’s engagement, as they discussed their hopes and dreams before Gary Wayt went missing. The episode was filmed three months earlier. So, what exactly happened with Gary? If you’re looking for updates on what transpired following his disappearance, we’ve got you covered.
Amber Portwood’s Missing Boyfriend Turned Fiancé Gary Wayt Was Found 900 Miles Away in Oklahoma
Amber Portwood’s fiancé, Gary Wayt, went missing in early June 2024 with his last known location being Bryson City, North Carolina. The local Police Department confirmed via Facebook that Gary had been gone for two days and was last seen on June 9.
A couple of days following his disappearance, he was found in Oklahoma, around 900 miles away from Bryson City on June 11, 2024. The news made its way to the media after police updated their post to confirm that Gary had been found, though they didn’t provide more details. The case was closed after that.
The couple was in Bryson City for her brother’s wedding and they were spending several days in the Smoky Mountains. There was some sort of an argument or just an emotional conversation (in Amber’s eyes) between her and Gary, which was apparently major enough for Gary to take such drastic actions. So, maybe it was actually a significant enough argument or fight that was downplayed by Amber.
After this so-called “discussion,” Gary left the city with his keys and wallet. However, he did not take his cell phone, so he was clearly not looking to be found anytime soon. Amber claims she was surprised by her boyfriend leaving her to end up 900 miles away in Oklahoma. The evidence points at Gary taking intentional actions, but Amber insists the rumors of a huge argument or “big blowout fight” are way off the mark.
The public began to speculate if their “discussion” led to a physical altercation, making Gary Wayt leave her with no intention of returning, but Amber Portwood stressed there wasn’t any form of violence involved at all. The reason fans can’t help but wonder about such extreme scenarios is down to her past relationships, notably with Gary Shirley and Andrew Glennon, which have been plagued by verbal and physical abuse, legal issues, and losing custody of her children, daughter Leah Shirley and son James Glennon.
Amber wants fans to respect her current relationship and urges them to not link her past troubles to her present affairs, which are not characterized by major conflicts or abuse, at least that’s what she claims. It’s unlikely that fans are going to buy this no matter how much she tries.
Amber Portwood and Gary Wayt Called Off Engagement After Disappearance Drama
Amber Portwood and Gary Wayt called off their engagement in late June after the tough conversation they had following his disappearance. Their relationship seemingly had just too many issues to resolve, something both of them struggled to deal with.
Despite breaking up, the couple is reportedly on speaking terms, a source told US Weekly. The two are still communicating and Gary isn’t cutting her off completely. Amber, meanwhile, took off her engagement ring and finally acknowledged Gary was not the right person for her, even though he still cared about her.
The source claimed Gary’s family dug into Amber’s past online, leading to some tension between them. Some of the stuff they discovered was too much for the family to digest, even though Amber had been trying her best to overcome her past issues and take new, positive strides in life.
This breakup has reportedly been anything but easy for Amber Portwood, but she appears to carry a strong enough mental strength, so those close to her believe she will eventually get over it and get better in the long run. Earlier, Amber and Gary got into a relationship after they met on a dating app around January 2024. Things soon got pretty serious, and they ended up getting engaged. However, after everything that has transpired since, they decided to call it quits.
