star had a heartbreaking final wish.
Cardwell had been diagnosed with cancer – stage 4 adrenal carcinoma – in January of this year and on December 9 after a Mama June Shannon.
The eldest sister of , now 18, was surrounded by , her husband Eldridge Toney recounted.
‘Everyone was crying and freaking out because we all knew what was happening,’ he shared.
‘I did my best to be calm for her. I rubbed my hands through her hair, held her hand and told her it was going to be OK.’
Eldrige, who married Cardwell in March, added to : ‘I was holding her hand when she took her final breath.’
The day before her death, Cardwell and Eldridge were able to have a final conversation about her hopes for the future.
‘Anna’s dying wish was for her daughters, Kaitlyn Elizabeth and Kylee Madison, to always remember who their mother was.’
Her husband-of-10-months has now vowed to keep her memory alive for Kaitlyn, 10, and Kylee, seven.
‘I will spend my life doing right by Anna and the girls,’ he promised.
Her family announced their loss over the weekend, paying tribute to Cardwell on .
Mama June wrote on Instagram alongside a family photo: ‘With a breaking heart, we are announcing that @annamarie35 is no longer with us. 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 be updating y’all with more information as we get it today.’
Her 44-year-old mum-of-four had previously shared thatand had been sleeping a lot.
Alana, who was the main star of the family’s TLC reality series, also shared a tribute to her: ‘Watching my 29-year-old sister this last year battle this horrible disease hasn’t been easy. Anna was a fighter & still is.
‘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!,’ she added.
‘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.’
The family gathered for her funeral on Wednesday held at Williams-White Columns Funeral Home located in Gordon, Georgia.
In the wake of her death, reports that she had been documenting her last days for an upcoming season of her mom, Mama June Shannon’s reality series.
Insiders close to the family told the outlet that she had been open about her condition and wanted those scenes to be included in the new episodes of Mama June: From Not to Hot, in a bid to give fans an idea of what she went through.
They insisted that Cardwell on camera, and the crew left her side just hours before her death.
