Anna Cardwell Says Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson's College Send Off Is 'Bittersweet' amid Her Own Cancer Diagnosis
Anna Cardwell, who died in December 2023, admitted that she's "glad" Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson's "didn't stay because of me" on this week's episode of 'Mama June: Family Crisis'
Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell doesn't want her own cancer diagnosis to hold her sister Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson back from following their dreams.
On Friday's episode of Mama June: Family Crisis, Anna joined her family members as they gave her little sister a proper send off to college.
Though they may be a "dysfunctional" family, Alana told cameras that they always showed up for each other during their most important moments. As Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird reflected on her "biggest baby" leaving the nest, Mama June Shannon got emotional as she hugged her youngest goodbye despite their previous money drama.
"Honestly I am so proud of her," Mama June said, recalling the details of their goodbye in a confessional. "And I loved on her and told her how proud I was of her. Boy I'm going to miss her, she's my youngest daughter and she's the first to get the hell up out of Georgia."
Related: Why Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell Chose to Film Her Final Months of Life (Exclusive)
After the family made their rounds, Anna told Alana not to "worry about me" or her stage 4 adrenal carcinoma diagnosis and promised she'd get her scans to update her on her condition.
"It's a bittersweet moment seeing Alana go down that driveway, because Alana chose to leave," Anna admitted in a conversation with cameras. "And I'm glad she didn't stay because of me or anything else — and that right there makes me very happy."
On December 10, 2023, Mama June announced that Anna had died from her cancer 10 months after going public with her diagnosis through an emotional post shared on Instagram.
Related: Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell's Husband Recalls Her Final Breath: 'I Was Holding Her Hand' (Exclusive)
"With the breaking heart, we are announcing that @annamarie35 is no longer with us," she wrote in the caption alongside a family photograph. "She passed away in my home last night peacefully at 11:12 PM."
"She gave one hell of a fight for 10 months she passed away with her family around her like she won’t and we will will be updating y’all with more information as we get it today," she continued, adding, "We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family doing this difficult time."
Anna's fight with cancer has been documented on season 6 of Mama June: Family Crisis.
In this season's premiere episode, Anna tasked with planning an impromptu wedding after she and her boyfriend Eldridge Toney decided to tie the knot upon learning of her diagnosis.
While Mama June went grocery shopping to make Anna's favorite foods and Jessica "Chubbs" Shannon picked out flowers for the big day, Lauryn's husband Josh got ordained online to officiate their wedding.
When it finally came time for the big day, Anna's friends and family watched with teary eyes as she floated down the aisle with her father David. Up at the altar, she grew emotional as she exchanged vows with Eldridge.
"I'm glad that me and you met, and you're helping me with the girls, and I wish they didn't have me going through what I'm going through now," she said through tears. "And I really do love you."
Eldridge replied with his own vows, saying, "I love you and I just want to let you know that I appreciate everything you do for me and I promise to be by your side through thick and thin and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us."
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Mama June: Family Crisis airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on WE tv.
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