Cardwell passed away from cancer in December, just nine months after she and Eldridge Toney got married in a small ceremony following her stage 4 diagnosis. Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell's husband Eldridge Toney is sharing his struggles with reliving a special moment in his life now that he has lost his beloved wife.
In an interview with PEOPLE before the premiere of Mama June: Family Crisis, Eldridge confesses that he has found it difficult to watch their wedding without becoming emotional.
After Anna was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma in March 2023, the couple, who had been together for six years, decided to get married. Nine months later, her mother Mama June Shannon announced Anna's death from cancer in a heartfelt Instagram post.
The premiere of the family's reality show and the documentation of Anna and Eldridge's wedding comes two months after her passing.
Though he hasn't watched the episode in its entirety, Eldridge tells PEOPLE that he "teared up like a baby" after seeing the "first few minutes."
"I have mixed feelings about it," he says about witnessing their wedding unfold. I feel happy to relive that special moment with her, but it's also sad to see how happy and healthy she was back then, compared to her final days.
He adds, "Just hearing her voice again, and seeing her facial expressions. I've seen pictures and stuff from our wedding, but it's not the same as watching that moment happen."
In the premiere episode of Mama June: Family Crisis, Anna asked her sisters Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird and Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson to plan a last-minute wedding after she and Eldridge decided to get married upon learning of her diagnosis.
While Mama June went shopping for groceries to make Anna's favorite foods and Jessica "Chubbs" Shannon chose flowers for the occasion, Lauryn's husband Josh got ordained online to officiate their wedding.
Anna 'Chickadee' Cardwell's last days were recorded for her family's show: 'That's what she wanted' (Exclusive)
Later, the girls went with Anna to a boutique to find her ideal dress. For Anna, the dress had to be "simple," not too "dramatic," but showing a little "cleavage."
When the big day arrived, Anna's friends and family watched with tears in their eyes as she walked down the aisle with her father David. At the altar, she became emotional as she exchanged vows with Eldridge.
"I'm happy we met, and you're helping me with the girls. I just wish they didn't have to see me going through what I am now," she said tearfully. "And I really do love you."
Eldridge responded with his own vows, saying, "I love you and I just want to let you know that I appreciate everything you do for me and I promise to be there for you through everything, and I'm excited to see what the future has in store for us."
After the ceremony, the couple prepared to have their first dance at their backyard wedding reception. Cardwell whispered "I love you" to her new husband as they danced slowly in front of their loved ones.
As the night progressed, the couple continued to sway back and forth and later invited Anna's daughters Kylee Madison and Kaitlyn Elizabeth to join them for a dance.
When Anna asked Kaitlyn, "Are you happy for Mommy? "she quietly replied, "Yeah."
"Eldridge, he's your stepdaddy now," Anna told her daughters after the new family of four shared a group hug.
mama june
mama june family crisis
mama june 2024
anna cardwell
alana thompson
adrenal carcinoma
mama june from not to hot
june shannon
honey boo boo sister
anna chickadee cardwell
mama june new season 2024
mama june road to redemption
mama june season 7
mama june anna
anna from mama june
mama june daughter anna
geno doak
sugar bear thompson
mama june daughter with cancer
mama june net worth
honey boo boo net worth
anna mama june
anna mama june's daughter
mama june kids
momma june 2024