Despite her heartbroken state, Mama June is opening up about her daughter’s death and how her family is dealing with the loss.
The reality TV star, whose real name is June Shannon, lost her daughter Anna ‘Chickadee’ Cardwell on December 10, 2023. The oldest of the famous brood died at 29 after a years-long battle with adrenal cancer and spent her final moments surrounded by her loved ones.
Mama June Recalls Hearing Daughter Scream For Her In Her Last Moments
The “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” star recently reflected on Anna’s passing in an emotional interview, where she revealed the 29-year-old spent her last days in her home. Describing her last moments, Mama June said:
“She passed away in mine and Justin’s home. Eldridge and the girls, and her were living there for three weeks and one day. [I was] hearing her scream my name at night, hearing her little oxygen cord going round… She would not keep her oxygen on for anything.”
“The day before she passed away, Kaitlyn was helping us give [Anna] medicine – and she would only take it for Kaitlyn,” the mother of four continued, referring to Anna’s daughter. She also noted the family ensured the deceased knew how much she was loved in her final days.
“The final things that we all made sure that we said in the last couple of days… I can’t tell you how many times I said I love you,” Mama June confessed. Her daughter, Lauryn ‘Pumpkin’ Efird, echoed similar sentiments about her sister’s last moments and praised her for fighting an agonizing battle against cancer.
“She fought until the very end. You could tell at the end that she was ready. She was done. She fought as much as she could, so I was telling her, ‘It’s okay, everybody’s here,’” Lauryn revealed.
Anna passed away surrounded by her family in Mama June’s living room, leaving behind two daughters and a grief-stricken beau. Reflecting on her last battle with cancer, Lauryn added: “It definitely happened very quickly. It went from one to five years to 10 months very quickly.”
As for how Anna’s children are coping with her absence, Mama June noted the eldest was still processing her mother’s death. “I think Kaitlyn is still in shock. Unlike Kylee, Kaitlyn was there when Anna took her last breath,” she explained.
Lauryn noted it must have been a difficult moment for the child as even the adults didn’t know how to handle Anna’s last moments. “Everybody was screaming because we just didn’t really know what to do or anything,” she confessed, adding:
“I can’t imagine if that keeps me up at night, I’m sure at times it must keep Kaitlyn up but teenagers aren’t going to say that. We always make sure to ask her how she’s doing, if she’s okay, tell her that it’s okay to cry.”
Some Days Good And Some Days Bad
As for the grieving mother, June confessed to having good and bad days as “certain things that I’ll do remind me of her.” Despite the pain of her memories, the reality TV star stressed that the family will continue to carry Anna in their hearts.
Lauryn also shared her pain, stating: “It sucks. Going on in life and… her not being here really kind of f—s with you at the end of the day.” The 24-year-old noted the family was handling the situation by prioritizing Anna’s children and ensuring they never forget their mother’s love.
“We’re always reminding them ‘your momma loved you, your momma is always here with you,’” Lauryn said in the interview with Daily Mail. Mama June was the first to break the news about Anna’s death, sharing the heartbreaking update in an Instagram post.
One can only imagine what the reality star must be feeling. May Anna’s soul continue to rest in peace!