Her sister, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, shared her eulogy on Instagram writing, “This is one post I wish I didn’t have to make 💔 Last night we all surrounded Anna with love & let her know it was okay to go. Unfortunately around 11pm Anna took her last breathe. Anna was in so much pain last night but now as a family we all know she is at peace now. I really don’t know what to say as my heart is completely broken. Watching my 29 year old sister this last year battle this horrible disease hasn’t been easy. Anna was a fighter & still is.”
Alana continued, “Lord please wrap your arms around her 2 babies & our family as the next couple of days will make this all a reality 🥹. I’m so glad that you waited til i was home to take your last breath! I would’ve loved for you to get to see me graduate college but i know you will forever cheer me on in heaven! We will all make sure your legacy lives on forever. And i promise to always make sure to celebrate our birthday like you never left! The sky looks a little bit different today. We will always love you Anna 💔. You hit me hard with his one Anna but i know your in a better place now and pain free forever!”
In a May interview with “Mama June” and her husband, Justin Stroud, with Entertainment Tonight, the 44-year-old matriarch said that Cardwell had gone to the hospital complaining about back pain last August. Her doctors discovered a cyst and removed it. Per TMZ, Cardwell had then complained about stomaches which led to the discovery of the cancer in her liver, kidney, and lungs after a series of tests. She underwent several rounds of chemotherapy between February and May.
Cardwell gained notoriety in 2012 via her then six-year-old sister Alana Thompson. Alana, a beauty pageant contestant, went viral for her appearance on an episode of Toddlers & Tiaras, for coining the phrase “honey boo boo.” It quickly became her moniker and eventually launched a spin-off show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, that chronicled the family’s lives. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo ran for four seasons and ended in 2014.
On social media, Cardwell provided updates on her health journey and often shared snack reviews to her combined 421,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok.