When news broke that Teen Mom star Amber Portwood’s fiancé Gary Wayt had gone missing, fans were left shocked. Now, people are eager to learn about the latest updates surrounding Wayt’s disappearance.
When Did Amber Portwood’s Fiance Gary Wayt Go Missing?
On June 11, 2024, the Bryson City, North Carolina, Police Department declared Wayt missing.
“Missing person GARY R. WAYT. 39 yrs old . 6’01” 205 pounds bald with brown eyes, last seen 06/09/2024 on Arlington Ave. area of Bryson City NC,” the authorities’ Facebook post read. “Drive a grey SUV 2009 Nissan Rogue with Indiana state registration plate. Any information please call 828488-2196. Ask for Chief Robinson or Assnt. Chief Dover.”
Us Weekly stated that Portwood reported Wayt missing the day prior on June 10, 2024. The outlet also reported that Wayt had been seen in Oklahoma via video footage and a source described Portwood as “distraught” regarding the situation.
Amber Portwood Breaks Silence on Gary Wayt’s Disappearance
Portwood addressed Wayt’s disappearance in a YouTube stream after a Teen Mom fan page alleged that the couple had a blowout fight before he went missing.
“This is a huge deal. His parents, everybody, [are] very worried. … There was not a big blowout fight or anything like that,” Portwood said tearfully. “He is a missing person right now. … Nobody has found him or heard from him yet. They only know that he was in a Walgreens alone on camera [the day he went missing]. So, please, everyone, do not think the harshest things right now.”
Portwood assured fans that she and Wayt didn’t have any sort of “explosive argument” but instead, had a conversation that she described as “emotional” while they were vacationing. She claimed the conversation centered around “the fact of his parents being Vietnamese and me being who I am.”
Portwood’s ex Gary Shirley also brought attention to Wayt’s disappearance via Instagram on June 12, 2024.
“We need to find this man @carolebaskincat @kristina_shirley3 prayers for a safe return,” Shirley wrote and tagged Tiger King alum Carole Baskin, along with his wife, Kristina Shirley.
When Did Amber Portwood and Gary Wayt Start Dating?
In January 2024, news of Portwood dating someone new surfaced.
“His name is Gary. She met him on a dating app four months ago,” a source told Us Weekly. “They are taking their time getting to know each other, but it’s getting serious.”
The outlet reported that the pair had been seeing each other “for a few months,” and that Wayt lived close to Portwood in Gary, Indiana. By June 2024, Portwood and Wayt were engaged, according to Us Weekly.
While neither Portwood or Wayt confirmed the rumors, a source told the publication that the pair had “been in couple’s therapy and [talked] about everything.”
The insider continued, “They’re being very proactive in their relationship and are doing the work to prevent problems before they start.”
Amber Portwood’s Fiance Gary Wayt Was Found
Days after being reported missing, Gary was found safe in North Carolina.
“Update: Gary Wayt has been located,” read a statement from Bryson City, North Carolina, Police via Facebook on June 14. “No further information available at this time. Case is closed.”
