No One Knows Why Amber Portwood's Fiance Went "Missing" Right After His 'Teen Mom' Debut

Summary

• Amber Portwood's fiancé, Gary Wayt, went missing shortly after their engagement went public and he met her Teen Mom co-sars.
• Despite speculations, Wayt was found safe in another state after being missing for a week.
• No further details were released about Wayt's disappearance, sparking rumors of a possible breakup with Amber.

Ever since Amber Portwood first appeared on Teen Mom, viewers were invested in her story. It turned out — much later — that Amber was troubled and dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues, which partly explains her wild behavior on camera. For one thing, Amber was recorded hitting her now-ex Gary Shirley, the father of her first child.

Later, Amber moved on with Andrew Glennon, whom she welcomed her second child, James, with in 2018. However, that didn't end well, either, with Glennon receiving full custody of James (and relocating to another state). Most recently, Amber introduced her Teen Mom: The Next Chapter co-stars to her fiancé — but then he disappeared. Here's what we know about Gary Wayt's disappearance, how Amber and other Teen Mom cast members reacted, and the little that is known about Wayt's return.

Teen Mom Amber Portwood's Fiancé Went Missing Right After They Got Engaged

Amber reported Gary missing from North Carolina, where they had been staying at a hotel, in early June 2024. The couple was apparently at a wedding, during which they were photographed looking happy and spending time doing karaoke together.

Amber appeared on a YouTube Live while Elle Bee was speaking about Gary's disappearance to ask for any information about Gary and said she was praying for his safe return. She appeared to be crying while lamenting the public discourse and rumors surrounding her relationship with Gary.

"This is a huge deal. His parents, everybody is very worried. I'm worried... He is a missing person right now. All the police officers, everybody is looking for him. I am praying for anybody that sees him."

Gary was missing for about a week before he was located hundreds of miles away from North Carolina. Gary showed up on surveillance footage in the state of Oklahoma, according to authorities, and it was apparently confirmed that he was safe.

Local authorities posted on Facebook that there was no further information available, and that the missing persons case was closed. However, while he was gone, everyone speculated about why he might have gone missing and whether Amber had something to do with it.

Amber Portwood Reported Gary Wayt Missing, But Teen Mom Co-Stars Joked About It

While Amber was the one who reported her fiancé missing, other Teen Mom stars got involved in the search. At least, that's how it appeared. Amber's ex-boyfriend Gary Shirley posted the 'report' of Gary Wayt's disappearance with screenshots from the Teen Mom: OG Instagram account, which had a description of Gary, a photo of him, and details about the Indiana-registered vehicle he was driving.

In the Teen Mom: OG post about Gary's disappearance, the caption noted he was missing after "allegedly getting into an argument" with Amber. In what appeared to be a jab of sorts at Amber, Gary Shirley captioned his share with, "We need to find this man @carolebaskincat @kristina_shirley3 🙏 prayers for a safe return. #findgary"

Tagging Carole Baskin seemed like some sort of punch line, and commenters on Gary's Instagram took the opportunity to air their dislike for (and suspicions of) Amber.

"I mean…. Let’s not pretend Amber ain’t toxic [expletive]… look at all her other relationships and how abusive she’s always been… She may have snapped you never know… mental health is a real issue here…"

Some suggested that the argument was bigger than Amber had let on, while others expressed their suspicions over Amber's lack of posting on social media about Gary's disappearance. Many commenters theorized that Gary was leaving the relationship, their evidence being the fact that he apparently left his phone behind (and was recorded visiting a Verizon store hundreds of miles from North Carolina) but took his wallet and car.

Since Gary was 'recovered,' he has been keeping quiet — and so has Amber.

Since Gary Wayt Returned, There's No Word On Why He Went Missing

After it was confirmed that Gary had been found, no further details were released about his disappearance. Amber did not post on social media in the days following Gary's reappearance, though she did get teary-eyed in a video while he was gone.

Perhaps having read some comments from Teen Mom fans, Amber noted during her emotional video that she and Gary "have a wonderful relationship."

"This man asked me to be with him. This man then asked me to marry him. I have not touched this man in any horrible way. He does not touch me in any horrible way. We do not yell at each other."

Admitting that she and Gary had a "disagreement" before he went missing, Amber insisted that their argument was not the reason for him leaving. Amber also explained that the reason why she chimed in during Elle Bee's video was that she wanted to clear the air after hearing rumors about her and Gary's relationship.

Amber also pointed out that she and Gary had gotten engaged right before his disappearance.

As for the status of their relationship, rumors suggest that Amber and Gary have called it quits, based on Gary's leaving the state without his reported fiancée. A source even claimed that Gary is refusing to speak to Amber.

Based on US Magazine's January 2024 hints about Amber meeting someone new — and her big reveal to daughter Leah that she had a "new boyfriend" in November 2023 — it seems that Gary and Amber may have dated for about eight months. Amber then debuted her boyfriend to her Teen Mom co-stars, with the footage airing just days before he disappeared.

With both authorities and Gary himself refusing to give more details, fans can only wait and see whether Amber will speak up with any more information surrounding her apparently former fiancé's whereabouts — and their future together.