COUPLESAmber Portwood Gushes Over Her 'Calm' New Boyfriend: 'He's My Anchor'
Amber Portwood opened up about her new relationship.
Oct. 15 2026, Published 11:33 a.m. ET
Amber Portwood is embracing a new chapter in her life, crediting her boyfriend with providing a much-needed sense of stability and support.
The former Teen Mom star recently opened up about how her partner has helped her navigate everyday life while managing her mental health and living with bipolar disorder.
"For me, my boyfriend, who I have been with for almost a year now, he's my anchor," Portwood shared in an October 8 YouTube video. "He's very calm. Comes from a very sweet Catholic family. They don't cuss. They don't do stuff like that."
Portwood Views Their Opposite Personalities as the Perfect Balance
Amber Portwood called her boyfriend 'calm.'
The reality star, whose engagement to Gary Wayt came to an abrupt end in 2024 following his highly publicized disappearance, explained that her current boyfriend's calm personality is a stark contrast to her own.
Portwood believes their differences help balance their relationship, stressing the importance of surrounding herself with people who understand and support her, particularly when it comes to her mental health.
"It's like a positive needs a negative to get together and make it," she explained. "Make sure the person you're with and the people you're surrounding yourself with understand you because if they don't, get them the f--- out of there."
Portwood Has Kept Her Man's Identity Private
Amber Portwood keeps her partner's identity away from the public eye.
While Portwood, who is a mother to 17-year-old daughter Leah with her ex Gary Shirley, has kept her current partner's full name private, she previously dropped small hints about him.
In June 2025, she teased fans by revealing that she had quietly begun seeing someone new.
"He's got a job for 20-something years, same exact job," she said in a TikTok Live at the time. "He's got this thick accent —mountain accent because he's from North Carolina — and he's super sweet to me."
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Portwood Endured the Emotional Toll and Public Backlash
Amber Portwood has survived intense public scrutiny.
Finding a sense of stability has been a significant milestone for 36-year-old Portwood, especially after the emotional turmoil surrounding her split from Wayt.
His sudden disappearance and their subsequent breakup took a heavy toll on the reality star, who also faced cruel online accusations and harassment during the ordeal.
"That day, that man left for no reason," Portwood said through tears. "Why am I getting persecuted? 'We know Amber killed him.' I had to deal with that. Do you know how that feels? When people are calling you a murderer about your f------ fiancé?"
"I've had to deal with thinking my fiancé was dead for three to four days," she continued.
Portwood Has a Long History of Relationship Heartbreaks
Amber Portwood’s journey to healing comes after years of public and volatile romance.
Her recent trauma with Wayt is only one chapter in a long history of turbulent romances that have played out under the public eye.
Following her initial teenage romance and engagement to Shirley, she navigated a heavily scrutinized engagement to Matt Baier that ultimately dissolved amid controversy.
She later entered a relationship with Andrew Glennon and then with Belgian native Dimitri Garcia.
