Ryan Edwards and his fiancé Amanda Conner are both making amends to their sons after struggling with addiction through most of their oldest kids’ lives.
Last week, Teen Mom: The Next Chapter fans watched as Ryan apologized to his eldest son Bentley for not being there for him while he was growing up, due to his drug use and legal issues. On Sunday, Ryan’s fiancé Amanda reflected on getting another chance at motherhood now that she’s sober. (As fans know, Amanda is the mother of 12-year-old Brandon from a previous marriage, as well as daughter, Presley, whom she welcomed with Ryan in February.)
“Today my heart is full of gratitude as I reflect on the gift of sobriety, and the incredible journey I’ve taken to get here,” Amanda wrote on TikTok over footage of Brandon’s recent birthday party. “Being free from addiction has given me the chance to truly show up, not just for myself but for my son and my family in ways I never could before.”
As The Ashley previously reported, Amanda regained full custody of Brandon in November, marking the first time she has had custody of him since she lost custody a year or so after his 2013 birth. On last week’s episode of ‘Teen Mom: The Next Chapter,’ Brandon explained that he was happy to be living with his mom for the very first time.
In her TikTok post, Amanda expressed her happiness about being able to make– -and keep plans— with her son now that she’s sober.
“I can now be present, make plans and create memories that once felt out of reach,” she wrote to her son. “I’m so proud to be your parent and I’m so thankful I get to be here, fully and completely for you.”
In the birthday party footage, Ryan and Bentley— as well as Ryan’s parents Jen and Larry Edwards can be seen joining in on the festivities for Brandon. (Maci Bookout‘s other kids, Jade and Maverick, can also be seen in the video.)
“I’m so very proud of you too!” Jen wrote to Amanda in the comment section of the post.
Like Ryan, Amanda struggled with drug use and legal issues for years before getting sober. (She met Ryan while both were attending the same rehab in 2023.)
The couple got engaged in 2024 and when they when they get hitched, it will be Ryan’s second marriage and Amanda’s third. She was previously married to a man in Florida (but that marriage only lasted a few months), as well as Brandon’s father (aka Brandon Sr.), whom she filed for divorce from in November 2019.
When Amanda and Brandon Sr. lost custody of their son in 2014, Amanda’s father and stepmom were given temporary custody of the boy. Amanda’s father died in September 2021, leaving Brandon Jr. in the custody of Amanda’s stepmom until Amanda regained custody of him in November.
Amanda gave multiple interviews last year while she was pregnant with Presley, stating that she was excited to get another chance to be a mom, given that she didn’t have custody of her firstborn for the majority of his life.
“For me, I can enjoy this pregnancy and I have a second chance at motherhood,” she told People. “For Ryan, he is in a place that he hasn’t been in for a long time. We are excited to move forward from our past mistakes.”
