Anna “Chickadee” Cardwellfound moments to celebrate her life and love withEldridge Toney, even as she endured the daily reality of cancer in the months leading toher death at 29.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek at the brand new season ofMama June: Family Crisis, the couple celebrate their nuptials in a private function.
After the ceremony, the couple gets ready to have their first dance in the backyard wedding reception where balloons and floral garlands adorn the space. Cardwell mouths “I love you” to her new husband as they slow-dance in front of their closest family and friends.
As night falls, the couple continues to dance. Cardwell’s sistersAlana “Honey Boo Boo” ThompsonandLauryn “Pumpkin” Shannonchat and smile, while momMama June Shannonwatches the duo slowly rock back and forth.
In another scene, Toney has a sweet dance with Cardwell’s oldest daughterKylee Madisonwhile she has one of her own with youngest daughter Kaitlyn Elizabeth. When Cardwell asks Kaitlyn, “Are you happy for Mommy?” she replies with a quiet, “Yeah.”
Cardwell and Toney’s loved ones then begin clapping and the new family share a group hug.
“Eldridge, he’s your stepdaddy now,” she sweetly tells her kids.
In December 2023, Shannon announced thatCardwell had diedfromstage 4 adrenal carcinomain a post shared to Instagram.
“With the breaking heart, we are announcing that @annamarie35 is no longer with us,” she began the caption of her post 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 will be updating y’all with more information as we get it today,” Shannon continued.
Shortly after, PEOPLE confirmed that Cardwell and Toney — who began dating in 2017 after Cardwell’s divorce from ex-husband Michael Cardwell, with whom she welcomed Madison in 2015 and Kaitlyn in 2012 — had gotten married following her diagnosis in January 2023. The couple wed on March 4 in Wilkinson County, Georgia, according to a copy of the marriage license.
At the time, Toney exclusively told PEOPLE about the pact the couple made upon learning of her cancer diagnosis, including “never go to bed angry or in a fight because you never know what tomorrow will bring.”
“She was the one I was supposed to grow old with,” he added. “She was my one true love, she was that for me. I will never stop loving her. There will never be another Anna.”
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Mama June: Family Crisispremieres Friday, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m. ET on WE tv.
source: people.com
