Dog the Bounty Hunter star Beth Chapman dies at 51
Dog the Bounty Hunter stars Duane and Beth Chapman step out in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2013. Photo: Getty
Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman has announced on Twitter the news of his wife Beth Chapman’s death at the age of 51.
“We all love you Beth,” said Chapman, 66, whose reality TV show about chasing fugitives with business partner Beth by his side on the hunt was a hit for eight years from 2004.
“See you on the other side.”
Duane and Beth Chapman in action on Dog The Bounty Hunter. Photo: Twitter
The TV tough guy said Beth died at 5.32am on Wednesday (US time) in Hawaii, the same time “she would wake up to go hike Koko Head mountain,” Chapman said.
“Only today, she hiked the stairway to heaven.”
At the time of her death, Beth – who had 601k Instagram followers – “was surrounded by family and Dog was there, holding her hand,” a rep said in a statement.
Born in Colorado in October 1967, Beth became a licensed bail bondsman at age 29, the youngest person in her home state’s history. She later became a producer and actress known for Corner Gas (2004), and Hawaii Five-0 (2010).
She married Chapman in 2006, the day after his daughter Barbara-Katie Chapman was killed in a car crash in Alaska.
Broadcasting network WGN America released a ‘hits and memories’ showreel dedicated to Beth’s reality TV career after her death from stage four throat cancer.
The video included scenes from upcoming series Dog’s Most Wanted.
#WGNAmerica and #DogsMostWanted remember @mrsdogc – a fighter until the end. #RIPBethChapman pic.twitter.com/mZvsaFhlHT
— NewsNationComms (@NewsNationComms) June 26, 2019
“She was an exceptional woman, fiercely loyal and passionate about her family and she was a true joy to work with,” WGN America said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Duane, her family, loved ones and millions of fans.”
Beth, who revealed the “unexpected blow” of her initial diagnosis with stage two throat cancer in September 2017, was admitted to Hawaii’s Queen’s Medical Center on June 22.
She was put into a medically-induced coma, according to Hawaii News Now.
In a statement to the outlet, her husband said both he and his family “humbly ask everyone to please pray for Beth.”
The Chapmans at an Inauguration Ball in Washington in January 2017. Photo: Getty
On June 24, Chapman also shared a message on Twitter, asking his followers to “please say your prayers for Beth right now.”
The death came seven months after Chapman said Beth was “not doing well”. At that time she had been hospitalized in Los Angeles for an emergency surgery to clear a throat blockage.
Before then, Beth “knew I couldn’t let it take me over,” she said in November 2017 to People of her “50/50” chances.
“I had to keep moving, every day, moving forward. That’s all you can do when you get a diagnosis like this. So I take it each day at a time.
“And I’ll fight it with all that I have.”
Chapman was optimistic: “She’s very tough, and she can beat this.”
In January, after beginning chemotherapy, Beth shared a selfie on Instagram, using the hashtags “cancer sucks”, “stay humble pray” and “it’s only hair.”
The next month, she told a Twitter user “I think stress is my number 1 culprit. I don’t smoke and honestly stress is my Achilles heel.”
After the star’s death, her daughter Bonnie Chapman, 20 – one of 12 children Beth and Duane raised together, according to their official website – promised in a tweet to “never forget you mama.”
She added, “Love you forever mom. You’ve got a halo now.
You were such a strong woman, and you taught me to always be strong. You were strong for everyone, and you taught me it’s okay to let go.”
Bonnie shared a picture of her parents: “So thankful I got your beautiful smile.”
https://twitter.com/Bonniejoc/status/1143928993898348544
