Yahoo Finance Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson Pays Tribute to Sister Anna After Her Death: 'I Know You Will Forever Cheer Me on in Heaven'
"I’m so glad that you waited til I was home to take your last breath!" Thompson wrote of her sister, who died on Saturday night at age 29 following a stage 4 cancer diagnosis in January
Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson is opening up about the loss of her sister.
On Sunday, Thompson's mother, reality star Mama June Shannon, announced the sad news on Instagram that her oldest daughter, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell, had died following a stage 4 adrenal carcinoma diagnosis in January. She was 29.
To honor her sister, Thompson, 18, posted a touching tribute to Cardwell on Instagram on Sunday, as she reflected on her last moments with her.
"This is one post I wish I didn’t have to make 💔," Thompson began her emotional message. "Last night we all surrounded Anna with love & let her know it was okay to go. Unfortunately around 11 pm Anna took her last breath. Anna was in so much pain last night but now as a family we all know she is at peace now. I really don’t know what to say as my heart is completely broken."
Thompson went on to express how difficult it was for her to see Cardwell face cancer.
"Watching my 29 year old sister this last year battle this horrible disease hasn’t been easy. Anna was a fighter & still is. Lord please wrap your arms around her 2 babies & our family as the next couple of days will make this all a reality 🥹," she wrote, referring to Cardwell's two daughters, Kaitlyn Elizabeth, born in 2012, and Kylee Madison, born in 2015.
"I’m so glad that you waited til I was home to take your last breath!" Thompson continued. "I would’ve loved for you to get to see me graduate college but I know you will forever cheer me on in heaven!"
The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star then took a moment to share her vow to keep Cardwell's memory alive in her heart.
"We will all make sure your legacy lives on forever," she wrote. "And I promise to always make sure to celebrate our birthday like you never left! The sky looks a little bit different today. We will always love you Anna 💔. You hit me hard with his one Anna but I know your in a better place now and pain free forever!"
Related: Mama June Shannon's 4 Daughters: Everything to Know
Thompson and Cardwell's 27-year-old sister, Jessica "Chubbs" Shannon, also posted an Instagram message after Cardwell's death.
"Everyone it hurts so say this but we lost @annamarie35 last night! It’s hard to think that my sister is gone she was so young and had a bright future ahead of here. She will always be with us and we love and miss her already!!" she wrote before asking her followers to keep her family in their thoughts.
"Y’all keep our family and them two sweet baby of hers in your prayers!! Anna I love you and just know we got Katilyn and Kylee for you they will be taken care of," she added.
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Cardwell's aunt Jo Shannon also spoke out on Instagram about the loss of her niece. "It is with a heavy heart that we as a family have to announce the passing of @annamarie35 Anna Marie Cardwell," she wrote, alongside a photo of herself and her niece and a snapshot of Cardwell's family.
"She passed last night with family surrounding her and she had a loving peaceful transition. Heaven gained an angel and she was greeted by all of her loved ones who had passed before her," she continued. "Please keep her husband, children and the rest of the family in your prayers as we go through these next several days. She loved the fans and all the love that you have shown during this difficult process."
In her own post, Mama June, 44, praised Cardwell's courage amid her cancer diagnosis and promised to keep fans updated. "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 be updating y’all with more information as we get it today," she wrote in part.
Getty;Anna Cardwell/Tiktok
Mama June Shannon; Anna "Chickadee" CardwellCardwell's death comes after her mother posted a plea on Instagram on Friday, asking her followers to pray for her family. "Y’all we r asking for prayers for our family as we are going through this process we really appreciate y’all for all the thoughts and prayers and we will update y’all whenever we can just know that all of your thoughts and your prayers are very much appreciated during this time," Mama June wrote, adding the hashtag "#CancerSucks."
Cardwell was diagnosed with cancer when doctors discovered cancer in her lung, liver and kidney following a series of tests after she complained of experiencing abdominal pain. She started her first round of chemotherapy in March, and two months later, she shared an encouraging update about how she was doing amid her treatment.
Related: Mama June Shannon Moving Back to Georgia to Be by Daughter Anna's Side During Cancer Treatments
In a May 10 Instagram post, she revealed that she was in the middle of her third round of chemo.
“This [was] yesterday," she wrote alongside a selfie with her boyfriend, Eldridge Toney. "It was pretty good day but did get a little and Cracker Barrel was good going down but not up 😂 but over all it’s going good and chemo is working we come to find so things are looking good."
Later that same month, Cardwell shared photos on Facebook of herself with her daughters as the family celebrated a special milestone together — Kaitlyn's elementary school graduation.
“I am one proud mama right now," she wrote at the time. "I also can’t believe I am going to have a middle schooler and a second grader. Give me a minute while I go cry my eyes out. I am so proud of my girls and everything they have accomplished."
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