Anna ‘Chickadee’ Cardwell, known for her role in the reality TV show “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” died at the age of 29 on December 9. Cardwell’s family confirmed her passing.
The cause of her death was stage 4 adrenal carcinoma, a rare and serious cancer that originates in the adrenal glands.
Diagnosed in January 2023, Cardwell underwent chemotherapy for nearly 10 months, but the cancer had spread to her liver, spleen, and lungs by the time she was diagnosed. She passed away peacefully at her mother’s home in Georgia, surrounded by her loved ones.
Born in McIntyre, Georgia, on August 28, 1994, Cardwell gained national attention as the eldest daughter in “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” The show, which ran on TLC from 2012 to 2014, focused on the life of her younger sister, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, a child beauty pageant contestant, and their family. Cardwell was known on the show for her straightforward and forthright personality.
After the show’s discontinuation in 2014, Cardwell kept a relatively low public profile, making occasional media appearances mostly related to her family. Her mother, June Shannon, also known as “Mama June,” expressed her deep sorrow in a statement and asked for privacy during this period of mourning.
Tributes have poured in on social media for Cardwell from friends, fans, and former co-stars, commemorating her contribution to the reality TV genre and her participation in the show. “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” a show that generated considerable viewership and debate, established a distinct identity in the reality TV scene of the early 2010s.
Cardwell is mourned by her husband Eldridge Toney and her two daughters, Kaitlyn and Kylee. Her family shared details of her cancer journey and her final days on social media, where she received an outpouring of support from admirers and sympathizers during her illness.
