Gary Shirley Weighs in on Amber Portwood’s Geist, Indiana, House

“Teen Mom” star Gary Shirley said Amber Portwood’s house in Geist, Indiana — which her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Glennon, occupied for three years — smelled like “stale urine” when they reentered the property.

Glennon had been living there with 4-year-old James — the son he shares with Portwood — but he vacated the home when a judge awarded him full custody. They moved to California, allowing Portwood to take back her home.

As part of their previous custody agreement, Glennon and James lived in the home while Portwood rented a house.

Shirley, who shares 14-year-old daughter Leah with Portwood, “investigated” the Geist home with Portwood after Glennon and James left Indiana for California.

“The biggest problem wasn’t the way it looked. It was the way it smelled,” Shirley told Dr. Drew Pinsky during part 2 of the “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter” reunion. “I mean, it was like stale urine… Like, the couch was covered in piss.”

“I was curious. Was it the carpet? Was it this, that, and the other?” he continued. “As I investigated, there was like a baby blanket on the couch and half the couch was broken and the other part of the couch covered in urine.”

Shirley didn’t think the home was fit for James. “I don’t think it was a good place for any child to be in,” he said.

At the beginning of the reunion, Portwood said she wasn’t in the mood to be at the reunion and didn’t want to talk about her custody situation.

“I don’t want to deal with it right now is what I’m saying,” she said about rewatching scenes from “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter” at the reunion. “You’re going through those emotions as you’re watching it again and it’s very hard.”

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Leah Misses Her Half-Brother, James

Glennon getting guardianship of James and moving to California wasn’t just a blow for Portwood. Leah lost her brother.

We love James. That’s obviously Leah’s brother. And in a big family way, Emilee’s little brother too because they play together,” Shirley said, referring to his youngest daughter, whom he shares with his wife, Kristina Anderson.

“That’s his little buddy right there,” Portwood added, referring to James and Emilee’s relationship.

The custody decision helped Leah and Portwood become closer.

“She was pretty upset and then honestly that was about the big turning point where Amber and Leah started getting along differently, or better,” Shirley told Pinsky at the reunion. “‘Cause Leah was worried about her mom.”  

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Portwood Talks to Leah About Her Mental Health

Portwood revealed she suffers from five mental illnesses, with a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. There are some days when she “biologically” can’t get out of bed, as Pinsky put it.

When she was younger, Leah had a hard time understanding her mother’s absences, but Portwood said that has changed.

“I’ve told her pretty much everything now about what I have and I’ll say to her the reason why you haven’t seen me this last week or so is because this is what’s going on, this is how I’m feeling,” Portwood said. “This is why. And she’s very understanding.”

“I think she kinda understands now,” Portwood continued. “Gary has been very helpful with being vocal about certain things as well with her.”