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Online content creation media giant, Rooster Teeth, let go of some of its biggest stars in 2020 when a slew of sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against them. Among them was Ryan Haywood who was scrubbed off the platform’s videos when it was found that he had allegedly abused his fame and groomed underage fans to have sexual relations with him. Earlier this year, the former Achievement Hunter personality had almost attempted to make a comeback online. But his former fans felt he was remorseless and made sure he’d have no platform online. We reveal more about his rise and fall in this Ryan Haywood wiki.
Ryan Haywood’s Family
Born James Ryan Haywood on December 6, 1980, he hails from Columbus, Georgia. He is one three children born to David Edwards and Debbie Hoover Edwards.
He was often called by his middle name which stuck. He went by Ryan Haywood in his public life.
Ryan’s father, David Edwards, has notable achievements in the Georgia’s business and human resources fields. He passed away in 2019, at the age of 70. Besides his wife, Debbie, he is survived by his children Tanya Edwards Jones, Ryan Edwards, and James Ryan Haywood, their respective spouses and their children.
Ryan Haywood’s Career
When Haywood was a high school student in Georgia, he used to be a professional model. He also worked as a pool cleaner when he was a teen.
Haywood later got a degree in computer animation from Full Sail University. He later studied computer engineering, computer science, broadcast and theater at Georgia Southern University.
He was in Corpus Christi, Texas in 2011 when he came across a job opportunity at Rooster Teeth on Craigslist. After applying for it, Geoff Ramsey called him to Austin and initially hired him part-time. Haywood started out at Rooster Teeth working remotely to edit and manage one of the series.
Later that year, he relocated to Austin and was hired full-time as an animator and editor for Red vs. Blue. Besides working in the editing department, he had a few speaking roles and appearances in videos.
By the time Red vs. Blue season 10 concluded, Haywood moved on to Achievement Hunter full-time. He was part of the hosting lineup consisting of Ramsay himself and the biggest names of AH.
Ryan Haywood Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming against Ryan Haywood came up in October 2020 along with explicit photos that surfaced online. On October 7, 2020, Rooster Teeth stated it had “parted ways” with Haywood as well as Adam Kovic of Funhaus for breach of the company’s code of conduct.
Multiple reports surfaced online stating that Ryan Haywood used his fame to groom and manipulate fans, many of whom were underage. Rooster Teeth personalities he worked with confirmed these allegations and also said they will remove or edit content featuring Haywood from all Rooster Teeth pages.
Not only is Rooster Teeth disassociating with Haywood, but his former fans are also distancing themselves from him. An example is the Ryan Haywood subreddit page that was turned into a support group for victims who were preyed on by the former YouTuber.
Haywood attempted to make a comeback online through Twitch on 2021. He claimed that he was going to therapy and trying to rebuild his relationship with his family. He also got a job and completed his computer science degree online. However, fans noted that the statement was more about himself and not apologetic to the people he hurt.
Not only did it spark outrage among fans, it also led to him getting banned on Twitch. Fans are reporting and petitioning to keep Ryan Haywood off any form of social media platform.
Ryan Haywood’s Wife and Children
James Ryan Haywood married his high school sweetheart, Laurie Higginbotham, in 2007. They are parents to a son and a daughter.
The family is based in Austin, Texas. Laurie, a graduate of Duke University and the University of Georgia, is a veterinarian in Austin.
In light of the allegations against Haywood, many ask if the couple is still together. But there’s no details about their current relationship status.
