Anna ‘Chickadee’ Cardwell’s loved ones gathered for her funeral service in Gordon Georgia on Wednesday – four days after her tragic death from cancer aged 29.
Mama June Shannon’s daughter Cardwell died Saturday having previously revealed she was battling adrenal carcinoma that progressed to stage 4.
Mama June, 44, and Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson, 18, was seen among the mourners heading into the funeral home to pay their last respects to Cardwell alongside sister Lauryn ‘Pumpkin’ Efird, 23.
Friends and family embraced before heading into the service, where a sign warned mourners not to bring in cell phones – or risk leaving the funeral.
Cardwell’s order of service saw her listed under her marital name Anna Marie Toney – after marrying husband Eldridge Toney during her cancer battle.
Anna ‘Chickadee’ Cardwell’s loved ones – including mom Mama June and sister Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson, 18 – gathered for her funeral service in Gordon Georgia on Wednesday – four days after her tragic death from cancer aged 29
Mama June Shannon’s daughter Cardwell died Saturday having previously revealed she was battling adrenal carcinoma that progressed to stage 4
The poem Broken Chain was also read at the service, which reads: ‘We little knew the day that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, In death we do the same.
‘It broke our hearts to lose you. But you didn’t go alone. For part of us went with you. The day God called you home.
‘You left us peaceful memories. Your love is still our guide, And though we cannot see you. You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.’
Cardwell’s funeral will be open casket, with her remains divided and plans to make ‘special jewelry or crystals’ with her ashes inside.
The funeral home will also fingerprint Cardwell with the family considering getting tattoos of her prints.
Cardwell reportedly requested an open-casket funeral and wanted fans to be able to attend as she was close with them.
Mama June, 44, announced her daughter’s death in an Instagram post on Sunday.
Thompson was seen speaking to loved ones before the service began
Shannon wore a patterned dress and jacket as she arrived at the service
Cardwell’s husband Eldridge Toney was seen making his way into the service
Anna’s sister Lauryn ‘Pumpkin’ Efird, 23 was also in attendance at the service
Honey Boo Boo was seen walking into the service with a companion
Friends and family embraced before heading into the service, where a sign warned mourners not to bring in cell phones – or risk leaving the funeral
Shannon’s husband Justin Stroud was seen making his way into the service
Cardwell’s order of service saw her listed under her marital name Anna Marie Toney – after marrying husband Eldridge Toney during her cancer battle
Two days before her somber announcement, the reality star had asked her fans and followers on social media to pray for her ailing daughter.
‘With the breaking heart, we are announcing that @annamarie35 is no longer with us,’ June began her heartbreaking post. ‘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 [sic],’ Shannon continued.
‘We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family [during] this difficult time,’ she added.
Accompanying the caption was a photo of Mama June and her family, including Anna, who sported short hair amid her cancer treatments.
Anna was diagnosed with stage four adrenal cancer in January after complaining of stomach pain.
The Mayo Clinic reports adrenal carcinoma is a rare cancer that affects the adrenal glands in the kidneys. The adrenal glands produce hormones which deliver instructions to virtually every organ and tissue in the body.
The mother of two girls, Kaitlyn, 11, and Kylee, eight, underwent chemotherapy and immunotherapy in an attempt to beat her cancer.
Over the summer, the From Not to Hot star revealed that Anna’s cancer was terminal.
‘We know it’s terminal. She’s stage 4. She’s not gonna go into remission,’ she wrote, adding: ‘We’ve all accepted that, so I just tell people one day at a time ’cause you never know.’
Cardwell’s funeral will be open casket, with her remains divided and plans to make ‘special jewelry or crystals’ with her ashes inside
Chickadee was mother to two daughters – Kaitlyn, 11, and Kylee, eight
Cardwell secretly got married to partner Eldridge Toney after finding out she had stage 4 cancer
Accompanying the caption was a photo of Mama June and her family, including Anna, who sported short hair amid her cancer treatments
On Friday she took to social media to ask her 758,000 Instagram followers for prayers.
‘Y’all we are asking for prayers for our family as we are going through this process,’ the Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo alum wrote.
‘We really appreciate y’all for all the thoughts and prayers and we will update y’all whenever we can,’ she said, adding, ‘just know that all of your thoughts and your prayers are very much appreciated during this time, she explained, adding the hashtags, ‘#mamajune #cancersucks #family #prayers.’
She didn’t mention her daughter explicitly, but her followers knew immediately she was referring to Cardwell.
‘Anna sending you many many many prayers. God bless you sweetheart. ❤️,’ one concerned fan wrote.
‘Lord please have Anna in your hands and help her and her family In this time that they need you,’ added another.
One follower empathized with June’s struggle, writing, ‘From a mom of a cancer warrior.. angel.. my sincere thoughts and prayers for you all.’
June’s 23-year-old daughter, Lauryn ‘Pumpkin’ Efird reposted adding, ‘Say a prayer for our family.’
Anna was diagnosed with stage four adrenal cancer in January after complaining of stomach pain
Cardwell’s 18-year-old little sister Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo‘ Thompson took to social media on Sunday to remember her as well.
Sharing with her 1.1 million followers, Thompson wrote, ‘This is one post I wish I didn’t have to make.’
She shared the same family portrait as her mom did along with a heartbreaking caption as she grieved the fresh loss.
‘Last night we all surrounded Anna with love & let her know it was okay to go. Unfortunately around 11pm Anna took her last [breath],’ she said.
The note 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.’
The college student voiced: ‘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 went on to say that her bigger sister waited until she arrived home to transition.
‘I’m so glad that you waited til i was home to take your last breath! I would’ve loved for you to get to see me graduate college but i know you will forever cheer me on in heaven!’ she said in the caption.
‘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! The sky looks a little bit different today. We will always love you Anna,’ a heartbroken Honey Boo Boo added.
And finally, she said, ‘You hit me hard with his one Anna but i know [you’re] in a better place now and pain free forever!’
Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson took to social media on Sunday to remember her late sister Anna
Eventually, Anna’s cancer spread to her liver, kidneys and lungs
Eventually, Anna’s cancer spread to her liver, kidneys and lungs.
The average age of patients with adrenal cancer is 46, but it can occur in people of any age, even in children, according to the American Cancer Society.
Adrenocortical carcinomas start in the outer layer of the adrenal glands, which are next to the kidneys. The adrenal glands are small glands producing hormones.
Most growths that form in the adrenal glands are noncancerous.
Shannon’s reality show will include her daughter Cardwell’s final decline with cancer.
Insiders have told TMZ that the last three weeks of her life, which she spent in hospice, will be shown on Mama June: Family Crisis with Chickadee’s approval.
Evidently Chickadee wanted to help viewers understand the experiences of cancer patients, and consequently kept the camera crew with her into her final hours.
However the team behind the reality show declined to film her death and will not shoot her funeral, in the interests of allowing the family to grieve privately.
Their reticence comes despite the fact Chickadee herself was allegedly willing to allow both her death and funeral to appear on reality TV.
Her view is said to have been that she was reliably frank with her fans and hoped for them to understand all the suffering she underwent.