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Amber Portwood is having a very difficult week. The Teen Mom The Next Chapter star is reportedly distraught after her partner, Gary Wayt, disappeared during a planned trip to North Carolina. Portwood appeared at a Bryson City, North Carolina, police station on June 11 to report her partner missing. According to reports, Wayt went missing from a cabin he was sharing with Portwood on June 9. Now we know why Portwood and Wayt were in North Carolina.

Amber Portwood and Gary Wayt were in North Carolina for a family wedding

Initially, it was unclear why Portwood and Wayt had traveled to North Carolina, but now the events of the weekend are coming into sharper focus. According to WLOS News, Portwood and Wayt were in the Bryson City, North Carolina, area late last week for the wedding of Amber Portwood’s brother, Shawn Portwood Jr.

Portwood and her brother, who she often referred to as “Bubby,” were incredibly close during the early seasons of Teen Mom OG, but he has not appeared on the show in some time. Shawn Portwood Jr. reportedly lives in Florida, while Amber Portwood resides in Indiana. It is unclear why he and his bride opted to marry in North Carolina, but the scenic region is known for its romantic mountain views.

As of press time, Wayt has yet to resurface. He allegedly left the property with his wallet and car but did not take his other belongings or cell phone. One of the officers investigating the disappearance noted that Wayt’s decision not to take his belongings struck him as unusual. Police were reportedly in touch with his family in Indiana. They had yet to hear from him.  

Shawn Portwood Jr. speaks out about Gary Wayt’s disappearance

Shawn Portwood Jr. took to X (formerly Twitter) in the hours since reports of Wayt’s disappearance surfaced. He insists that Portwood and Wayt did not have an argument before Wayt’s disappearance. Shawn insists that any reports of a disagreement are false. Teen Mom fans don’t believe Shawn, as he spent several years defending some of Portwood’s most problematic behavior. What did strike fans as interesting is that Shawn has opted to refer to Wayt as Portwood’s “boyfriend” and not “fiance.”

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‘Teen Mom’ Star Amber Portwood Says She’s ‘Devastated’ and ‘Heartbroken’ After Losing Custody of Her Son

Just four days before Wayt was reported missing and two days before he actually disappeared, several media outlets reported that the couple was officially engaged. Us Weekly broke the news on June 7 that Wayt popped the question. He allegedly used a family ring to propose within the last two weeks. Amber Portwood and Gary Wayt had been dating for around seven months when he allegedly asked her to marry him.

Portwood has been engaged multiple times but has never married. It is unclear what Wayt’s relationship history is.

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