Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star Gary Shirley is doing his part to raise awareness about ex Amber Portwood’s missing fiancé Gary Wayt.
“We need to find this man @carolebaskincat @kristina_shirley3,” Shirley, 37, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, June 11, while tagging Tiger King’s Carole Baskin and his wife, Kristina. “🙏 Prayers for a safe return. #findgary.”
In his post, Shirley – who shares 15-year-old daughter Leah with Portwood – also included a screengrab from the Bryson City Police Department’s Facebook page, which included important information about Wayt’s disappearance.
According to police, Wayt was last seen on Sunday, June 9, in Bryson City, North Carolina. The 39-year-old is described by authorities as 6-foot-1, weighing 205 pounds with brown eyes and a bald head. He drives a 2009 gray Nissan Rogue SUV with Indiana state registration plates.
An incident report obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday also confirmed the investigation remains active.
Before his disappearance, Wayt and Portwood, 34, traveled to North Carolina to celebrate a family wedding in the Bryson City area, a source exclusively told Us.
“They were spending several days in the Smoky Mountains,” the insider shared. “On Sunday, June 9, they had a conversation that turned emotional. Gary left in the car without her and in the process, he left his cell phone behind.”
Ever since the conversation, Portwood has been “beside herself and worried about him.”
“Amber is distraught. She has friends helping to locate him,” the source continued. “She doesn’t know where he is. She hasn’t heard from him and he hasn’t communicated with her or his family.”
Wayt’s disappearance comes days after Us exclusively confirmed that he was engaged to Portwood. A source close to the Teen Mom: The Next Chapter star told Us on June 7 that the proposal took place “within the last two weeks” at a private location.
Wayt also recently made his debut on Teen Mom when Portwood introduced her partner to the cast for the first time via Zoom.
Shortly after Wayt went missing, another Teen Mom star tried to raise awareness about his disappearance. “Please help find Amber’s fiance as he is a MISSING PERSON,” cast member Briana DeJesus wrote via Instagram on Tuesday. Shirley replied in the comments section, “Prayers. For my fellow Gary.”
Anyone with information on Wayt’s whereabouts is asked to call local police at 828-488-2196 and ask for Chief Robinson or Asst. Chief Dover.
