Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell wanted little sister Honey Boo Boo to follow her dreams despite late star's cancer battle

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell expressed mixed emotions after her sister Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson embarked on their college journey amid Anna's own battle with cancer, People reports. 

In a recent episode of 'Mama June: Family Crisis', which aired this week, Anna Cardwell, who tragically passed away in December 2023, shared her sentiments about her sister's college send-off, revealing that she's relieved Alana didn't let her illness influence her decision to pursue her dreams.

Anna Cardwell opened up about 'bittersweet' send-off for Honey Boo Boo

Anna joined her family members on Friday's episode of 'Mama June: Family Crisis' to send her little sister off to college.

Anna Cardwell admitted that she's "glad" Alana "didn't stay because of me."

Despite their dysfunctional dynamics, Alana expressed gratitude for her family's support during important milestones. Mama June Shannon, visibly emotional, bid her youngest daughter goodbye, proud of her for taking this significant step.

"Honestly I am so proud of her," Mama June said, recalling the details of their goodbye in a confessional. "And I loved on her and told her how proud I was of her. Boy I'm going to miss her, she's my youngest daughter and she's the first to get the hell up out of Georgia."

Anna told Alana not to worry about her stage 4 adrenal carcinoma diagnosis and promised to get her scans to update her.

"It's a bittersweet moment seeing Alana go down that driveway, because Alana chose to leave," Anna admitted in a conversation on camera, "And I'm glad she didn't stay because of me or anything else — and that right there makes me very happy."

Tragically, Mama June announced Anna's death on December 10, 2023, through a heartfelt Instagram post, sharing the news with a heavy heart and expressing gratitude for the support the family received during their difficult time.

"With the breaking heart, we are announcing that @annamarie35 is no longer with us," she wrote in the caption alongside a family photograph. "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 be updating y’all with more information as we get it today," she continued, adding, "We love y’all and continued prayers and thoughts for our family doing this difficult time."

Mama June remembers Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell

Mama June opened up about the profound loss of her eldest daughter, Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell, and the family's heartfelt final moments together before her tragic death. Anna, who battled adrenal cancer, died in December 2023 at the age of 29, leaving behind her two young daughters, Kaitlyn and Kylee, and her husband, Eldridge Toney.

Reflecting on Anna's final days, Mama June, also known as June Shannon, told the DailyMail that Anna spent her last moments in Mama June and Justin's home, where she had been living with Eldridge and the girls for three weeks before her passing.

Mama June recounted the heartbreaking experience of hearing Anna's cries at night and the sound of her oxygen cord, as Anna struggled to keep her oxygen mask on. Despite her illness, Anna only agreed to take medicine when her young daughter, Kaitlyn, was involved in the process.

She stated, “(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 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,” the reality star mentioned.

Anna's younger sister Lauryn 'Pumpkin' Efird also stated, “She fought until the very end. You could tell at the end that she was ready. She was done.” The 24-year-old revealed, “She fought as much as she could so I was telling her, ‘It's okay, everybody's here."

The actress said, “I have my good days, I have my bad days – certain things that I'll do remind me of her...We do talk about her quite a bit. We all carry her with us.”