Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell’s husband, Eldridge Toney, opened up about his current relationship with his late wife’s two daughters.
“I have been seeing them as much as I can,” Eldridge told People in an exclusive interview. “I’ve been staying really persistent on seeing both of them.”
Anna tragically passed away in December at the age of 29, leaving behind daughters Kaitlyn, 8, and Kylee, 11. Eldridge isn’t the girls’ biological father, nor does he have custody of them following his wife’s passing.
Anna’s Husband Feels Like ‘Another Father’ to Her Girls
That said, he shared with People that he feels like another dad to the girls. Additionally, he promised Anna that he would be there for them. “I am making sure I stay true to the promise I made to Anna,” he said. “I love watching the girls grow up.”
“Her dying wish was for her girls to grow up knowing who their mother was. And I promised I would do right by the girls, always. I will spend my life doing right by Anna and the girls.”
For example, Eldridge remembers that Anna always lovingly teased Kylee about her hair never growing past her ears. Now that Kylee’s hair is starting to grow, he thinks about his wife and what her reaction would have been.
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“Just now seeing [Kylee’s] hair is starting to grow so long, it’s like already past her shoulders, and it’s in those moments I really think about Anna and how she would smile, so big, just seeing that her hair is actually starting to grow. It’s just a little stuff like that,” he shared.
Eldridge and Anna met in 2017 following Anna’s divorce from her ex-husband Michael Cardwell, who is Kylee’s dad. They got married on March 2, 2023, shortly after Anna’s diagnosis with stage 4 adrenal carcinoma.
Mama June Has Custody of One Of Anna’s Daughters
On December 9, 2023, Anna passed away after a 10-month battle with cancer. Her mom, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star Mama June Shannon, was granted temporary custody of Kaitlyn.
According to court documents obtained by US Weekly, Mama June said in her custody filing that the identity of Kaitlyn’s biological father remains “unknown.” This ruling followed a court battle with Anna’s ex-husband Michael, who also argued that he should have custody of the girl based on their relationship. Kylee is currently living with him.
“It’s easier now to see Kaitlyn than it is Kylee, just because Kaitlyn is right up the road. And I pretty much know June and Justin’s schedule. But as far as Kylee, I don’t get to see her as much, but I still do see her as much as possible,” Eldridge told People.
