Mama June shares update on life with granddaughter Kaitlyn who 'reminds' her of late Anna Cardwell

HAMPTON, GEORGIA: Mama June Shannon is finding solace in her 12-year-old granddaughter, Kaitlyn, as she copes with the death of her daughter, Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell.

The 45-year-old gave a rare update on her life with Anna's elder daughter, Kaitlyn, whose custody she won in September after an intense court battle with Anna’s ex-husband, Michael Cardwell, during an interview with People on Thursday, December 12. 

Anna died of stage four adrenal carcinoma on December 9, 2023, at the age of 29. 

Mama June Shannon says Kaitlyn looks just like Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell as a teenager

Mama June Shannon shared with People, "Kaitlyn’s been here for over a year now because they lived in the house where Anna passed away and she’s getting adjusted," before adding, "She definitely reminds us of Anna."

Gushing about Kaitlyn’s similarity with her mother when she was a teenager, the 'Mama June' matriarch said, "I tell a lot of people that if you want to know what Anna looked like as a teenager, Kaitlyn. Attitude, the way she talks, the way she acts, everything is Anna."

Mama June also talked about Anna's younger daughter, Kylee, nine, who lives with her father and Anna's ex-husband, Michael.

While Michael got full custody of Kylee, earlier this year, a judge gave the custody of Kaitlyn to her grandmother, Mama June. 

In the interview, the TLC star also said that a lot of things have happened since Anna's death. 

She shared, "Her just not being here for the girls and a lot of s**t has happened. We had to go through a custody battle that we won," and added, "We had to also deal with Michael taking Kylee away from everybody here and moving to Alabama." 

Mama June Shannon grieves her daughter Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell

This is, however, not the only time that Mama June Shannon has grieved her daughter Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell's death. On Anna's first death anniversary, Mama June penned a poignant note to commemorate her daughter. 

Sharing some photos of Anna, she wrote, "Here are some more photos of @annamarie35 please show her acct some@love toaa today we miss her everyday we talk about her daily grief is crazy it comes out of nowhere sometimes I cry for no reason I get mad cause she ain’t here to raise her kids and sometimes it mentally and emotionally draining this year has been hell for all of us but she will never be forgotten." 

On December 3, she penned a heartfelt note for her daughter on Facebook. 

"It will be a year on Monday and we miss the hell out of Anna Marie Cardwell and would give my last penny to just talk to her and her be here for her girls and grief honestly hurt at random times u have no control over crying being mad or trying like everything is oh k when really you are dying inside," Mama June began. 

She added, "And no one understand a lose of child is horrible way different then losing parents brothers and people that was like parents and amazing grandparents to my children n living in a house Anna passed in is so hard not just on me but the whole family but we have keep our promise we take her every where with us like she wanted and I will continue to do so. I just say come on Anna get your a** in the we are going and u r going to."

On how she keeps Anna's memory alive, Mama June wrote, "And I know some people may think that is crazy but for me and the family we love to have woth us we definitely have keep her memory alive and will always and she is still in our family group chat text."

"She is in Lauryn Mychelle Shannon car radio just can’t and won’t delete any text and won’t ever take her out the chat so sorry who gets her number one day u better not remove your self I always go to her TikTok and watch her videos all the time and search her name to see all the video people made for her," she mentioned.