Teen Mom star Maci Bookout and put her differences with ex Ryan Edwards aside and comforted him when she learned he was on “suicide watch” following an arrest.
“I never imagined we’d be in a place where this would be happening, but time and therapy — it does wonders,” Maci, 31, told cameras during the Wednesday, July 19, episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, while discussing where she stands with Ryan, 35.
As Ryan discussed the struggles he had been going through, Maci confronted him about his suicidal thoughts. “When you got arrested this last time, they said, ‘He has been on suicide watch.’ Then I was really worried,” she told him. “You need to talk to somebody about that.”
Ryan – who shares son Bentley, 14, with Maci, asked, “What do you tell somebody?”
“That you’re struggling,” Maci said. “It would be devastating to a lot of people if you weren’t here. I’d rather you be a pain in my ass, and be here, then not.” After Ryan laughed and wiped tears off his face, she added, “So next time, just call me.”
Fans have watched the former Couple’s rocky Relationship unfold over the years, while Ryan’s drug addiction and legal problems have also been documented on the MTV franchise.
Most recently, Ryan was arrested in February and charged with harassment and possession of a controlled substance after he violated an order of protection filed by his estranged wife, Mackenzie Edwards (née Standifer). The TV personality was later arrested on March 1 for stalking and violating an order of protection.
Most of the charges stemming from his arrests were dropped during a March 14 court hearing. Ryan was ordered to complete six months in rehab after he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, which was eventually dismissed. He checked himself out of a rehab center in Austin, Texas, after just two weeks of treatment and was arrested on April 7 after he was found unresponsive in his truck.
Ryan was “removed from the vehicle and placed in [an ambulance], where he received Narcan and eventually regained consciousness,” according to an arrest affidavit obtained by In Touch.
He was sentenced to serve 11 months and 29 days in prison during a court hearing in April. however, Judge Starnes announced that the 16 and Pregnant alum would be given a furlough to complete an inpatient rehab program after serving three months in prison, according to court records viewed by In Touch. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 14.
Fans watched Maci and Ryan’s emotional conversation after the mother of three exclusively told In Touch that she and her ex are “in a pretty good place.”
“We’ve still been communicating. He calls pretty regularly,” Maci said about Ryan, who was still in prison when the interview conducted on July 11. The Tennessee native added that “there’s a lot going on,” though she and Ryan are “better than we have been in the past.”
She then revealed that Bentley is the reason she decided her mend her relationship with Ryan. “After, you know, having some conversations and a few therapy sessions together, I realized that my relationship with Ryan definitely influenced the relationship that Bentley and Ryan have together,” Maci explained, adding that she “just wanted to do my part in facilitating that.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).