Ryan Edwards says he’s coming to terms with the massive mistakes he’s made in his life, particularly surrounding drug use and his (lack) of parenting his son Bentley during the early years of the teen’s life.
The Teen Mom dad recently appeared with his baby mama Maci Bookout on the Dad Up Podcast to discuss the current state of their co-parenting relationship. During the episode, Ryan was asked about the regrets he has in his life, to which he said he doesn’t only regret using drugs, he also regrets “thinking drugs were more important than my kid.”
“My whole life revolved around drugs and you know, I wish it never happened but it did and I cannot go back and change it, so you know, I’m just going to live with it,” he said, adding that, before getting sober, he “didn’t know how to function without drugs.”
“You know, now it’s a lot easer and it’s just kind of normal,” he said, later revealing in the episode that he’s had conversations with Bentley about his past addiction problems. “ … It’s not been like, in-depth conversations, but it was just kind of like, ‘Hey, this is kind of why, you know, I wasn’t there,’ and stuff like that.”
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As ‘Teen Mom’ fans are aware, Ryan has battled drug addiction for years. Despite multiple trips to rehab and jail, Ryan seemed unable to get sober. In 2023, Ryan was arrested numerous times for drug-related crimes (in addition harassing his soon-to-be ex-wife Mackenzie). In April 2023, Ryan suffered a near-fatal drug overdose in his truck just days after leaving a court-ordered rehab. He was later arrested for DUI, possession of a controlled substance and violating his probation.
Maci— who earlier in the podcast discussed how Ryan’s drug use prevented him from bonding with Bentley— stated that their son has seen how drugs took over Ryan’s life and will not want to repeat his father’s mistakes.
“I do feel like there’s such a large part of that where Bentley is going to learn so much from you and overcoming this and sort of starting fresh,” Maci said, who added that Ryan was obviously not happy or confident during the times he was using drugs. “He [was] not the Ryan that I know. And now, even Bentley’s getting to know Ryan, and see him confident in the man that he is and in the family he’s building.”
While Ryan hasn’t had “in-depth” conversations with Bentley about alcohol, drugs and/or addiction, he said he would “definitely answer any questions” Bentley may have about the topic and that he would also be upset if he found out Bentley was partaking in any of these things, including drinking underage.
“If I was to catch him, I mean drinking … you know, I feel like all 16-year-olds are going to experiment and try it and stuff but my feelings would definitely be hurt,” Ryan added.
Regarding Ryan’s sobriety, Maci said that before 2023, she had seen Ryan sober “here and there,” however, she knows that Bentley is now able to get to know Ryan as someone who is confident in himself and dedicated to his family– something she praised Ryan for personally during the episode.
“I feel like one thing to keep in mind, Ryan, is that [Bentley’s] gotten to see you overcome [addiction], but also be really proud and I feel like those are tools that he will be able to carry when he hits rough spots in life,” she said. “You know, just being able to overcome something and grow from it … .”
Maci also commended Ryan for not avoiding certain conversations with Bentley and for taking accountability for his past actions.
“ … That’s massive for Bentley to be able to see his dad say the hard things and have the tough conversions and … see you be happy with yourself, too,” she said.
Towards the end of the episode, Maci addressed those who encouraged her to completely cut off communication with Ryan and his family when Ryan was in active addiction. Maci said that these comment “always bothered” her, as she recognized that if she were to do this, she wouldn’t just be taking Bentley away from his dad, she’d be taking Bentley away from his dad and his dad’s family. Maci admitted that while there were times that she wanted to completely remove her son from the Edwards family, cutting them off “was never an option” in her mind.
“No, like, I would never do that to my child,” she said. “And yeah, sometimes you got to kind of leave the room and go to another room, but you always have to leave the door open.”
Ryan— who is also the father of daughters Presley and Stella and son Jagger– stated that when he started coming back into Bentley’s life, he was scared that he would mess up the dynamic that Maci and her husband Taylor McKinney had built for the teen.
“I didn’t want to mess any of that up,” he said.
“He is such a good kid,” Ryan added of his son. “I hate [that I missed] out on all that before, but better late than never for me.”
You can watch the full episode below.
RELATED STORY: Maci Bookout & Ryan Edwards Give Update on Their Co-Parenting Relationship; Discuss How Life Has Improved Since Ryan Became Sober
(Photos: MTV; Instagram)
22 Responses
Does anyone have actual proof Ryan isn’t doing anything for his kids with Mack? It’s entirely possible that with the court case and custody arrangements he’s not allowed to speak on it. Unless you’re in all their lives, and have been in the court room, everything you’re saying is your own speculation and personal dislike for Ryan.
Ryan will speak on his relationship with Bentley because Bentley’s life is on camera and we see it play out.. he’s not gonna speak on Stella and Jagger because they’re not in the public.
Nice try. But, we know for a fact from the court proceedings that he didn’t pay child support until he was ordered to earlier this year. We know for a fact that he only sees the kids for a few hours (and occasionally overnight) at his parents’ house. He admitted that Mack has them every day. Maybe that has changed recently, but it would be a very recent change. Meanwhile, him not paying Mack or seeing his kids has been going on for years.
Ryan doesn’t speak about the kids because they don’t come with a $35,000 paycheck.
Sadly, Butch was right when he told Tyler that he loved “cocaine more than anything else”. It was a little too harsh but he was being honest. I’m glad that Ryan never told Bently that but it’s the same situation. During active addiction nothing else matters. Family, friends, police, Judges, doctors, bosses, social workers, ect…who try to step in are all just collateral damage. Oh and A.A. doesn’t recommend “making amends” if it’s going to hurt the other person. I don’t see why Ryan would ever apologize to Mack because it would just cause more problems.
Even if a formal apology isn’t recommended in his program, Ryan can at least pay Mack for the repairs to the house from the damage he inflicted. He has the money to go in on a Jeep for Bentley so he clearly has the money for the repairs. Highly doubtful compensation would cause more trauma for the kids.
Good point, yes, he can make financial amends. I didn’t think of that.
I agree that he needs to talented accountability for what he’s done to the kids she shares with Mack, but Jagger and Stella are still pretty young…chances are that unless Mack brings it up incessantly (which I have no doubt she’s capable of) then they’re liable to forgive and forget.
They also lived with him at his worst, Bentley didn’t and was mostly with Jenn and Larry during Ryan’s parenting time. Stella and Jagger’s have the type of early trauma from Ryan that can rewire your brain. My kids were very young when I got away from my violent ex-husband and we don’t talk about the horrible past in front of them, but it still took years to work through the damage that had been done (daughter’s anxiety, son’s lashing out).
So while they can forgive and forget, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t done immeasurable damage to them that Bentley was fortunate enough to avoid simply because he didn’t have to be around him nearly as much.
You don’t drum up the past though (something I think Mack feeds off of), plus I’m sure your kids had counseling (something else I’m sure Mack didn’t make readily available to her children).
You are a mature parent, I don’t hate that vibe from Mack…she seems too petty to let the past stay IN THE PAST.
“Get that vibe” not “hate that vibe”
Crazy that you’re finding a way to defer the damage Ryan did fully on to Mackenzie to fix. Even if Mackenzie was talking shit about Ryan nonstop around the kids (which you have zero proof of) Ryan is still the one that caused the damage and is responsible for the consequences. Not to mention the fact that Amanda is the one that was dressing up as Mackenzie for Halloween and making fun of her because Ryan hasn’t paid child support, so one can make a fair assumption that Mack isn’t the most immature person in this situation.
I never said “fully”, I said “partly
No, I don’t have proof Mack is petty af, it’s just a gut feeling…so is Amanda BUT there were still ways to prevent those kids having to go through what they went through yet Mack only seemed to care about Mack (and the $ too I’m sure)
Mackenzie made a dumbass choice in a partner at twenty and stayed too long, but she eventually did mature, put her children first, and gave him the boot. She then rebuilt a life for them while dealing with constant harassment from Ryan, his people, and “fans.”
Your gut can tell you whatever, but the actions of the people involved indicate that Mackenzie is an actual parent that cares for her children off-camera while Ryan is deadbeat poor excuse of a father. He’s only close with Bentley now because he doesn’t have to do any actual parenting and it’s a way to get that MTV money.
I’m not gonna argue with you, I’m right, you’re wrong…END OF STORY
Why do you hate Mack so much? It’s very… strange. LOL. Your “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude, when you are going off a “gut” feeling is pretty insane.
I don’t hate her, but I think it’s pretty dumb to not give her some of the blame for the way things turned out…she didn’t have to marry him and give him another kid…but she did and the children are paying the consequences of of that mistake…yes Ryan shouldn’t have done what he did but Mack ISN’T 100% blameless here
@Karol- I don’t think anyone is saying that Ryan is 100% responsible, but I know for a fact that Mack isn’t 100% responsible either. Claiming she is because she didn’t leave when YOU feel she should have, is… WILD
I’m not saying she’s 100% responsible…but she is like 30% responsible.
And NOBODY is realizing that…they all think this is ALL Ryan’s fault when it’s not…you don’t marry a guy that is still doing what he was doing 10 years prior and expect things to be different…and you certainly don’t procreate a second time with them…its simple common sense…yeah she was young but that’s no excuse…there are TWO wrongdoers here NOT JUST ONE
Ryan still isn’t doing any of the hard work of parenting. He’s like a buddy that sees Bentley ever now and then. The kid is 16 and lives with Maci and Taylor full-time. What parenting is Ryan even doing?
Meanwhile, there are two little kids who actually need a dad. Why is Ryan completely silent about how he is making it up to them? Where is his accountability for that? I guess they don’t come with an MTV paycheck, so why would Ryan even care?
He knows he can keep a pay cheque coming if he spends time with Bentley. Doesn’t give a shit about the kids who’s house and possessions he destroyed and threatened to kill their mother. Start taking accountability for that.
I’ll buy a percent of a percent of it when he takes actual accountability for his actions in Mack’s house, his other children’s house.
The threats to end her… his kids mom.
For the way he and his girlfriend and his family and Maci are going after her, in front of his other kids. (While he’s so sober and remorseful about he acted and what he put children through.)
When he makes genuine amends for that… then I’ll slightly believe he’s turned some kind of corner.
I’m no fan of MacKenzie. But, He’s still at it, encourages it. He’s not sorry. That doesn’t scream change, and doing better for his kids. It just doesn’t.
I’ve been through recovery with people enough to know… I don’t trust anything he’s saying at this point.
It looks good on MTV. It looks good in media. It’s got him a paycheck. It’s got more people on his side. Advocating for him. It’s keeping him looking good in court. Allies against his ex.
Thanks, but, no.
But you know.. those other two kids, the ones whose house you trashed, their safe space that you filled with expletives and smashed up, who cares about them right? Cause Bentley is the only one on tv, and Maci is the only baby mama trying to make you look good.
I dislike Mack with a passion, she married a drugged out loser. But, those kids deserve not to have to read this shit one day. Like they don’t matter because they’re not the ones that caused the payday.