Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell shared a deep connection with her husband, Eldridge Toney, before her passing in late 2023. The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star began dating Toney after her 2017 divorce from Michael Cardwell, with whom she had a daughter, Kylee. She also had another daughter, Kaitlyn, from a previous relationship. Anna and Eldridge eventually tied the knot in March 2023 in a private ceremony.
In December 2023, Cardwell lost her fight against stage four adrenal carcinoma, which she had been battling since January of that year. Her mother, Mama June Shannon, confirmed the heartbreaking news on Instagram, revealing that Anna passed away at the age of 29.
Anna and Eldridge faced heartbreaking challenges in their journey to have children, experiencing multiple miscarriages before her cancer diagnosis
“With a heavy heart, we announce that @annamarie35 is no longer with us,” Shannon posted. “She passed away peacefully at 11:12 PM in my home, surrounded by her family. She fought an incredibly tough battle for ten months, and we’ll share more details as we learn them.”
At the time of her passing, Anna was with her sisters, Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird, and Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, as well as her husband Eldridge.
But who is Eldridge Toney? Here’s everything you should know about Anna’s husband and their life together.
Their relationship blossomed in 2017
According to Anna’s social media, she and Toney began dating in June 2017. Before meeting him, she had been married to Michael Cardwell, from whom she divorced in 2017, and they shared a daughter, Kylee. Toney, a Wrens, Georgia native, attended Baldwin High School and continued to live in Georgia, as noted on his Facebook.
In 2020, they moved into a larger home
In early 2020, the couple moved into a double-wide trailer near a lakeside property in Milledgeville, Georgia, which Anna had excitedly shared with The U.S. Sun. Previously, they had lived in a smaller trailer in Gordon, Georgia.
“Eldridge has always been great with my girls, and we wanted a bigger home where we could raise them,” she explained. “We fell in love with this lakeside property. It’s like a dream come true, and I can’t wait to make it our own.”
Anna was hoping to have children with Eldridge
Before her cancer diagnosis, Anna had been trying to expand her family with Toney. Unfortunately, she revealed in 2021 that they had experienced multiple miscarriages. In an interview with The U.S. Sun, she spoke about the challenges they faced in trying to have a third child.
“We’ve had a tough road with four miscarriages and a D&C,” she shared. “It’s been difficult, especially after I miscarried right before Christmas in 2020. Doctors told me I wasn’t producing enough progesterone, which affected my pregnancies.” Despite the obstacles, the couple intended to keep trying for another child.
They tied the knot after learning of her illness
After learning about her cancer diagnosis, Anna and Eldridge solidified their commitment to each other and got married in early 2023. PEOPLE confirmed their marriage took place on March 4, 2023, in Wilkinson County, Georgia, with a marriage license as proof.
Back in 2021, Anna had mentioned that marriage was on their minds, though she was unsure about tying the knot due to her first marriage experience. “We’ve been together for nearly four years now, but I wasn’t sure about marriage after what happened with my first one,” she said. “But Eldridge wanted to marry me, and we’ve exchanged promise rings.”
Throughout her treatment, he was by her side
Eldridge was a constant source of support for Anna as she went through chemotherapy and other treatments. In May 2023, Anna shared a photo of Eldridge sitting next to her while she received chemotherapy, writing, “Round three of chemo today. Yesterday was good, but Cracker Barrel didn’t sit well.”
Even before the cancer diagnosis, Eldridge had been a steady force in Anna’s life. “He’s been there for me through everything,” she said in The U.S. Sun. “He helps with my anxiety and supports me through the rough days. He always asks if I’m okay, and that means the world to me.”
Anna’s family was fond of Eldridge, with her mother, Mama June, often joking with him about how he managed to handle Anna. “He’s been a great part of our lives, and the family loves him,” she said. “Mama June would often joke, ‘How do you put up with her?’ And he’d laugh and say, ‘It’s not easy, but I manage.’”
Eldridge played a big role in her daughters’ lives
Toney quickly stepped up as a father figure to Anna’s daughters, even though they maintained a relationship with their biological father, Michael. Anna frequently shared pictures of him goofing around with the girls on social media.
He was also there for big milestones, including Kaitlyn’s elementary school graduation in May 2023 and Kylee’s promotion to second grade, as shown in photos posted on Anna’s Facebook page. In September 2024, Mama June Shannon was granted custody of Kaitlyn after a family therapist testified that Kaitlyn wanted to live with her grandmother.
