Inside Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell's Relationship With Her Sisters

On December 9, 2023, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" passed away at age 29 after a grueling year-long battle with adrenal cancer. She is survived by her husband, Eldridge Toney, her two daughters, as well as her three half-sisters, and mother. The news of her death came after her mother, June Shannon, aka Mama June, told Entertainment Tonight in July that there was no hope for her daughter to go into remission. 

Although Cardwell's younger sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird, had accepted that she wouldn't beat cancer, she was still holding out hope for a cure to come through and save her sister's life in the nick of time. She also couldn't help but admire Cardwell's resilience in standing up to cancer. After Cardwell passed away, Efird took to Instagram stories to share some sweet moments to honor her sister's memory. Efird started with a photo of all of them together, writing, "Fly high, sweet Angel." 

Efird seemed heartbroken as she re-posted Cardwell's death announcement and added, "How do I bounce back from this?" She followed these photos up with snaps from Cardwell's first chemo treatment, the baby shower they held before Efird had her son Bentley, and tragically finished by sharing the last outfit check Cardwell would ever send her.

Over the years, Cardwell's strained relationship with her mother has been well-documented, and that inadvertently seems to have affected her relationship with her sisters. Nonetheless, everybody came together to support Cardwell when she needed it the most. 

Speaking to Distractify, June Shannon shared how Anna Cardwell's sisters joined forces after her cancer diagnosis, "Me and Justin, we take her to treatments [during] the week." She continued. "Then, throughout the week, Pumpkin and Alana will come up, and then Jessica will come up one week." However, things between Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird and Cardwell weren't always this great. 

In a 2022 interview with Distractify, Efird shared that although she stayed in touch with Cardwell, they didn't share the same bond as Efird did with her other sisters. But the two grew closer after Efird started visiting Cardwell following her diagnosis. Speaking to People in July 2023, Efird offered insight into some of the things she and her sister, Alana Thompson — aka Honey Boo Boo — did for Cardwell. "For me and Alana, we come up usually one to two times a week, sit with her through treatment, talk to her, and go back to the Airbnb and maybe do dinner and things with her," Efird said.

She explained that even when Cardwell rested at home, the family consistently checked in on her.  The family's relationships seem to have gotten better in February after Cardwell attended her mother's wedding and joined her sisters in walking her down the aisle, despite being estranged for years. After Cardwell's health started worsening in December, the family went on one last road trip together to Gatlinburg to fulfill her wishes.  

Alana Thompson, who is all grown up since her Honey Boo Boo days, took to Instagram to write Anna Cardwell a heartfelt tribute. She started by revealing that Cardwell was surrounded by her dearest loved ones in her final moments. Thompson was thankful she got to see her sister one last time, but she also felt devastated watching her suffer to the point where her death was a welcome release. She also shared that she had a tough time watching her 29-year-old sister battle cancer throughout the year. 

She 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." Thompson vowed to celebrate Cardwell every year on their shared Aug. 28 birthday and finished the post by saying that she could find some solace in knowing her sister wasn't in pain anymore. Similar to Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird, she posted an Instagram story telling her sister to reach new heights with the angels. 

Cardwell's younger sister, Jessica Shannon, also wrote her an emotional tribute. After mentioning that it was tragic how Cardwell wouldn't get to live out the bright future they all knew she would have, she wrote that she would love and miss her for all of eternity. Shannon also added a nod to Cardwell's daughters. "Anna I love you and just know we got Katilyn and Kylee for you they will be taken care of," she wrote.