It was very emotional for Maci Bookout as she talked about her ex, Ryan Edwards‘ overdose on a new episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. The overdose that happened earlier this year was in the spotlight in the September 6 episode, and the Teen Mom star talked about everything that happened and how difficult it was for her and their son Bentley.
At the beginning of the episode, Ryan was in court-ordered rehab for 30 days at a facility following many legal issues. Ryan’s stint in rehab didn’t last long, though, and he decided he wanted to leave after just two weeks.
Genuinely scared
Maci shared in a confessional that she disagreed with Ryan’s decision to leave rehab early, considering his history of substance abuse. And her fears weren’t unfounded. Just four days after leaving rehab in April, Ryan overdosed and was found in his car unresponsive.
Ryan had a “blue powder” and a “crystal-type substance” on him when he was found. He was given two doses of Narcan at the scene and later regained consciousness at the hospital.
“When I found out Ryan had overdosed, that was the first time I was genuinely scared,” Maci said as she choked up. “Having to have that conversation with Bentley and seeing all that. I knew how I felt seeing it, but Ryan’s not my dad,” she added, knowing that it must have been even harder on their son.
Bentley is the priority
“Bentley feels all of that times a million, and he’s a kid,” Maci shared. Despite her fears and worries, the most important thing for her was to prioritize Bentley. She lamented that as a mom, you can’t just “get a Band-Aid” for your child’s pain and that “it’s so hard.”
After the overdose, Ryan was sent back to jail on a DUI and possession of a controlled substance, with headlines of his arrest flooding the news. During it all, Maci had to stay a step ahead to help get Bentley through everything. She expressed her frustration about not being able to break things to him gently because of all the media.
“Bentley knows everything,” Maci continued, often expressing concern over his dad, saying he “didn’t want him to deal with this alone.” Rehab allowed the mom and son to sigh with relief, thinking he was in a safe environment and getting the help he needed. Alas, that didn’t last long.
Now, their son is angry, too. Maci shared that Bentley feels the way she used to and is frustrated that Ryan can’t see how “much potential” he has and continues to make the wrong decisions.
She later spoke with co-star Jade Cline about the situation and ended up attending an Al-Anon meeting for friends and relatives of alcoholics who need support. Maci also invited Ryan’s mother to attend meetings, and she expressed interest in joining her with Ryan’s father. These are all steps Maci is taking to help her and Bentley get through these challenges in the best way possible.
Teen Mom: The Next Chapter airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK RYAN IS GOING TO CHANGE? HOW CAN MACI BEST HELP BENTLEY DEAL WITH HIS DAD’S ISSUES?
