‘Teen Mom’ star Amber Portwood breaks silence on missing fiancé, denies they had ‘explosive argument’
"Teen Mom" alum Amber Portwood broke her silence about fiancé Gary Wayt’s disappearance last weekend, saying "everybody is worried."
"He is missing, OK? This is a huge deal because his parents, everybody is worried," she said after an impromptu appearance on a YouTube live stream in which the host was talking about the situation. "There was not a big blowout fight or anything like that, OK? He is a missing person right now. Everything has been told to all the police officers, everybody is looking for him. I am praying for anybody that sees him. Nobody has found or heard from him yet."
Portwood, 34, said police in Swain County, North Carolina, where the two had traveled to from their home in Indiana for a wedding, last saw Wayt on video at a Walgreens near where they were staying on Sunday – the day he was reported missing.
On Thursday, the Bryson City Police Department confirmed to E! News and US Weekly that Wayt was seen on video footage in Oklahoma on Tuesday, hundreds of miles from the North Carolina Walgreens. Fox News Digital has reached out to the police.
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"That is all that we know," Portwood said, adding, "So, please, everyone, do not think the harshest things right now. Please just pray. … Just hope he’s OK."
She denied that she had an "explosive argument" with the 39-year-old: "I am not what people have been saying about me all of these years, I changed a long time ago, OK? You guys have to understand this. Please listen to what I’m saying. I am an honest person to you guys. We have not had explosive fights."
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She continued, "We are very in love. 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. We have a wonderful relationship. Please understand this. People change. The only thing that matters right now is for everyone to pray for him. … Just please be on the lookout for him."
Portwood was arrested in 2019 for allegedly attacking her ex with a machete.
The reality star said Wayt took his keys and wallet with him after they had an "emotional" "discussion" that revolved around his parents being Vietnamese and her "being who I am," but he left his phone, which she said the police now have.
The Bryson City Police Department posted that Wayt was missing on Tuesday, describing him as 6 feet 1 inch tall, 205 pounds and bald with brown eyes.
The department said he was last seen in the area on Arlington Avenue. He was driving a gray SUV 2009 Nissan Rogue with Indiana state registration plate WLH 616. Anyone with information is asked to call 828-488-2196.
Portwood explained that they were staying in the mountains.
"He has never driven in the mountains. We are very scared right now," she said.
"He went down to the town," she said. "They have footage of him in the store after it. There is nothing other than that that we know at the moment."
She explained that she’s still in North Carolina because she keeps thinking he’ll come back.
"I cannot leave without getting something. I can’t. You guys, this is very serious, I have never dealt with anything like this," she said, adding, "I can’t even get myself to get home because I don’t want to leave. I keep thinking he will show up."
At first, everyone figured he might return to Indiana, but "he had no GPS in his car," she said.
Portwood urged those listening to the live stream: "Please don’t make up stories. We have a beautiful relationship. This is the first time in my life that I have a good man, so please understand I’ve not hurt him. I’ve never touched him. I’ve never done anything. We have an amazing relationship. … This man is the love of my life."
Portwood said she hadn’t eaten in three days and had maybe slept an hour.
After being asked by host Elle Bee, Portwood confirmed that Wayt does have mental health issues that they’re concerned about, but Portwood didn’t elaborate.
"This is not about me, this is not about the show, this is not about my past or my exes, OK?" she said before adding that she needed to go because she wasn’t sure she was supposed to be talking about the case. "This is about him missing and for everybody please be on the lookout for him."