Maci revealed her ex was given two doses of Narcan after being found unresponsive in his car, before sharing how their son Bentley reacted to his overdose.
Maci Bookout opened up about her ex Ryan Edwards’ overdose earlier this year on the new episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
At the top of the hour, Edwards was in rehab, after he was ordered to do 30 days at a facility following a string of legal issues. Maci explained his stint was “really tough” on their son Bentley, as the pair had recently repaired their father-son bond and were actually having “the best relationship” they’ve “ever had” before he left.
Things took a turn after Ryan decided he wanted to leave the facility after being there for just two weeks, something Maci said she did not agree with. In a confessional she explained, “I just don’t think it’s a good idea considering his long history with substance abuse” — before telling her husband Taylor McKinney that Ryan “just wanted to leave.”
Four days after leaving rehab, Edwards overdosed and was found unresponsive in his car back in April. According to Maci, he was administered two doses of Narcan at the scene, before he regained consciousness at the hospital. A “crystal type substance” and “blue powder” were found on him; Edwards has previously spoken about the dangers of heroin.
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“When I found out that Ryan had overdosed, that’s truly the first time I was genuinely scared. Having to have that conversation with Bentley and seeing that … I know how I felt feeling it, but Ryan’s not my dad,” Maci said in a confessional, getting choked up.
“All of it is so hard. Bentley feels all of that times a million and he’s a kid. I think the biggest thing is making sure Bentley is priority,” she continued, breaking down in tears. “But as a mom, you can’t just get a Band-Aid, it’s so hard.”
As Ryan was sent back to jail and booked on possession of a controlled substance and DUI, headlines about his arrest began breaking online. While she and Bentley talked about what was happening, she expressed frustration that it was “getting really hard to stay ahead of everything” because of all the media coverage.
Speaking with friends, Maci reiterated that she did not “necessarily agree” with Ryan’s decision to leave rehab. She said he told her it was “just too much” and he would “rather figure out how to do this at home,” adding that she believed he also felt it was hard for him to not be able to communicate with lawyers inside rehab while going through his divorce. According to Maci, Ryan attended one of Bentley’s baseball games the night before his overdose and even spoke with her husband Taylor at the event — adding everything seemed “good.”
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“I think he thought he could come home, be with his kids, stay with his parents. With healthy people around, I think he thinks he’s invincible, that’s just it,” said Bookout.
“Bentley knows everything. Before he went to rehab he was very concerned, very worried. He kept saying, ‘I don’t want him to deal with this alone,'” she continued, adding that they all felt a sense of relief while he was in rehab. When they found out he was leaving, however, she said Bentley began to worry his father would once again wind up in jail.
“Now [Bentley’s] just angry,” she explained. “The way things had been going the last 4-5 months and how good things were going, even in the midst of all this crap with his soon-to-be-ex-wife, I think Bentley is angry because he’s like — how I used to be like — ‘Don’t you realize how much potential you have?'”
Maci later spoke with costar Jade Cline about Ryan’s situation, with Jade suggesting she start attending Al-Anon meetings. The organization is meant for relatives and friends of alcoholics, who can lean on and share their similar experiences with one another. Bookout said Dr. Drew Pinksy had also recommended that in the past and she began to take the idea seriously.
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She later met up with Ryan’s mother, Jen, who shared she didn’t know anything had happened to her son until he woke up in the hospital. Jen explained Ryan texted her after, saying, “Mom, I’m so sorry, I effed up, I should have stayed in rehab.'”
As the two wondered how his next court appearance would go, Maci then brought up Al-Anon, saying she was going to start attending meetings. Jen said she’d be interested in going too, saying, “I guess I’m gonna give it a try too, I’m gonna spring it on [husband] Larry. We’ll grow with him, hopefully.”
The episode ended with Maci acknowledging she “definitely can’t do this alone,” adding that she owes it to “myself and to Bentley and to Taylor to do things differently” going forward by getting help for herself as well.
Maci recently spoke with TooFab about attending Al-Anon meetings — see what she said at the link below!
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office / Instagram
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