Reality TV star Mama June is mourning the death of her daughter, Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell, who died at the young age of 29 after a long battle with cancer. The news was announced by Mama June on her Instagram account on Sunday, with a heartfelt post about her daughter’s struggle and passing.
According to Mama June, Anna passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday night, surrounded by her family. She had been fighting stage 4 adrenal carcinoma for 10 months. Mama June also revealed that the family will continue to keep their fans updated with more information as they receive it.
Anna, who rose to fame as the older sister of “Toddlers & Tiaras” pageant queen Honey Boo Boo, leaves behind two daughters, Kaitlyn Elizabeth and Kylee Madison. Her younger sister, Honey Boo Boo, also took to Instagram to pay tribute to her sister and express her grief. She shared that the family had surrounded Anna with love and gave her permission to let go and be at peace.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Anna Cardwell, a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend,” representatives for WE TV and Thinkfactory Media said in a statement. “Our sincerest condolences to June, Pumpkin, Alana, Jessica, and their family during this difficult time. Anna will be truly missed, but never forgotten, as her light and spirit live on.”
The Shannon family first rose to fame in 2011 with their appearance on the TLC reality show “Toddlers & Tiaras,” before receiving their own spinoff, “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” in 2012. The show ran for four seasons before being canceled due to controversy around June’s relationship with a convicted child molester.
The family returned to reality TV with Mama June’s show, “From Not to Hot,” which documented her dramatic weight loss transformation. The show was later rebranded to “Mama June: Family Crisis,” which also focused on her battle with addiction. In 2019, June was arrested and indicted on drug possession charges and has since shared her journey to sobriety with her fans.
In a previous interview, Mama June opened up about her drug addiction and revealed that she had spent nearly $1 million on drugs at the height of her addiction. Despite their struggles, the Shannon family remains close and will continue to honor the memory of Anna, who will be greatly missed by her family and fans.
