Last month, former Teen Mom OG star Ryan Edwards was arrested on charges theft and heroin possession.
The good news is, the theft charge has since been dropped.
The bad news is … well, it’s plentiful:
The possession charge isn’t going anywhere, and since Ryan was on probation at the time of his arrest, he’ll remain behind bars at least until his court date on April 15.
Fortunately, Ryan’s wife, Mackenzie Standifer, is not without a support system on the outside.
And these days, she’s receiving help from some very unexpected sources.
Take a look:
Mack and Maci
Maci Bookout recently surprised fans by posting a family photo in which she posed with Ryan Edwards’ wife, Mackenzie Standifer.
The Truce
The mothers of Ryan’s two children haven’t always gotten along, but it seems they’ve decided to set their differences aside in favor of focusing on something more important.
Traumatic Times
Ryan’s absence has been hardest on his two sons — 9-year-old Bentley, from his relationship with Maci, and Jagger, who was welcomed by Mackenzie while Ryan was in rehab last year.
Enough Pain to Go Around
That’s not to say of course, that his addiction and legal entanglements haven’t been difficult on Maci and Mackenzie, as well.
A Hard Road to Travel
Obviously, Maci moved on from Ryan quite some time ago, but watching her eldest child cope with the pain of having an imprisoned heroin addict for a father cannot be easy.
Joining Forces
And so, it seems Maci and Mackenzie have decided to focus on their children’s happiness and lend their support to one another, as well.
Re-Defining Family
“Family isn’t an important thing, it’s everything,” Maci captioned the photo of herself with Mackenzie and the kids.
A Fan Favorite
Fans loved the pic and took the opportunity to shower both women with praise.
Lookin’ Good!
“Love this!!!! I wish everybody could do this for the kids and realize it’s about the kids and not about us!!” one user wrote. “Y’all look great!”
High Praise
“You both are doing a amazing job taking care of your families,” another fan commented.
Brief Relief
Obviously, everyone was all smiles the day the photo was taken, but unfortunately, for most of the people in the shot, it was just a short respite from a painful reality.
Ryan’s Trials
The sad fact is, Ryan is in the grips of a powerful heroin addiction that will likely continue to make life a nightmare for his loved ones.
Hard Times
Edwards has been arrested four times in the past two years, and he’s currently locked up ahead of his April 15 court date.
No Slap on the Wrist This Time
And it seems unlikely that Ryan will walk away from this situation without doing some time.
A Dark Future
The fact that he was already on probation when he was taken into custody on multiple charges makes it unlikely that he’ll be allowed to return home.
Not Taking the Cure
And since two stints in rehab haven’t deterred Ryan, it seems unlikely that any judge will recommend court-ordered treatment.
From Teen Mom to the Slammer
And so, Ryan is likely looking at some time behind bars. Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom in his life these days.
Standifer By Her Man
Despite the fact that many fans have urged her to run for the sake of her children, Mack is standing by Ryan’s side.
Wise Words
“Do you burn your house down when it’s dirty?” she recently wrote on Instagram. “No. Do you set your car on fire when it needs a new part? No. Just because someone has a problem doesn’t give you an excuse to give up.â€Â
Loyalty and Pain
There’s no doubt that Ryan and Mackenzie have some hard times ahead of them. We wish them all the best in their continued struggles.