Honey Boo Boo's Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell Privately Married Eldridge Toney Before Her Death at 29
Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell spent her final days married to her longtime love.
The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star tied the knot with Eldridge Toney on March 4 in Wilkinson County, Ga., per a marriage certificate obtained by TMZ. Her younger sister Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird served as the officiant for the private wedding.
At the time, Anna—who was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma in January—was undergoing chemotherapy as part of her cancer battle.
The 29-year-old died on Dec. 9 surrounded by family, according to her mom June "Mama June" Shannon.
"She passed away in my home last night peacefully at 11:12 PM," June wrote on Instagram Dec. 10. "She gave one hell of a fight for 10 months."
Her death fell on the eighth birthday of her daughter Kylee, who she shared with ex-husband Michael Cardwell.
Anna—who is also mom to 11-year-old daughter Kaitlyn—started dating Eldridge in July 2017, according to her Facebook. Three years later, the two moved into a lakeside home in Milledgeville, Ga.
"Eldridge is great with the girls and we wanted to have a bigger home to raise our family in," she told The U.S. Sun in 2020. "It's like a dream come true."
Before her cancer diagnosis, Anna expressed hope in having a baby with Eldridge. However, she said her body did not produce enough progesterone, making pregnancy challenging.
"We are trying to have a third child, and it's been difficult," she said in a 2021 interview with The U.S. Sun, sharing that she had suffered multiple miscarriages in her pregnancy journey. "It's been a long bumpy road for us trying to have baby number three."
And throughout Anna's cancer battle, Eldridge was right by her side. In May, she captioned a selfie with her man, "Going on to round 3 of chemo."
In the wake of Anna's death, her 18-year-old sister Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson shared a heartbreaking message asking, "Lord please wrap your arms around her 2 babies & our family as the next couple of days will make this all a reality."
"I'm so glad that you waited til i was home to take your last breath!" the Toddlers & Tiaras alum added. "I would've loved for you to get to see me graduate college but i know you will forever cheer me on in heaven! We will all make sure your legacy lives on forever."
For more family tributes to Anna, keep reading.
Anna "Chickadee" Caldwell, the eldest daughter of June "Mama June" Shannon, died Dec. 9 at age 29 after a cancer battle. Her mom wrote on Facebook that she passed away in her home surrounded by "her family and the people that she wanted around her."
"This was our last family photo together that we will always treasure," she added. "We love you Anna."
"She gave one hell of a fight for 10 months," Anna's mom, star of WE tv's Mama June: From Not to Hot, said on Instagram about her battle with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma. "We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family doing this difficult time #mamajune #prayers #cancersucks #family."
Anna's little sister, star of Toddlers & Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, who later appeared with her mom on Mama June: From Not to Hot, wrote on her Instagram, "This is one post I wish I didn’t have to make. Last night we all surrounded Anna with love & let her know it was okay to go. Unfortunately around 11pm Anna took her last breathe."
She continued, "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. 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."
Amid her cancer treatments, Anna was able to watch her little sister graduate from high school. Alana is now in college.
"I’m so glad that you waited til I was home to take your last breath!" the 18-year-old wrote. "I would’ve loved for you to get to see me graduate college but i know you will forever cheer me on in heaven! We will all make sure your legacy lives on forever. And i promise to always make sure to celebrate our birthday like you never left!"
Alana continued, "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!"
Alana's sister wrote on her Instagram Stories, "Fly high sweet angel."
She also shared a message of condolences from WE tv, who produces her mom's reality show, asking, “How do I bounce back from this one.”
Everyone it hurts so say this but We lost @annamarie35 last night!" Anna's sister wrote on her Instagram. "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!!"
Jessica continued, "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."
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