Dog the Bounty Hunter fans are rallying around the Chapman family after reports surfaced that Beth Chapman‘s throat cancer has returned.
Tuesday, TMZ reported that Duane “Dog” Chapman‘s wife was rushed into emergency surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with a “blockage” in her throat caused by a “large mass.”
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As Beth went into surgery just before noon local time, “Team Dog” wrote on Dog’s official Facebook, alongside a story about the procedure, “Prayers are welcomed please. This is happening today.”
After Beth emerged from surgery just after 2 p.m. local time, TMZ reported that surgeons discovered that the reality personality’s throat cancer had returned, calling it “too early to give a prognosis” but “serious.” The Chapman family is reportedly “evaluating treatment options.”
Beth was first diagnosed with Stage II throat cancer in September 2017, undergoing surgery to remove it soon after, all of which was shown on the 2017 A&E documentary Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives.
Fans of the Chapmans who have been following along with the family’s journey for years, including through Beth’s diagnosis, treatment and recovery, were quick to offer up their thoughts and prayers on the couple’s individual Facebook pages.
“This is heart breaking,” one person wrote on Dog’s page. “I hope all goes well and Beth makes a full quick recovery.”
“Beth [you’re] a strong mama bear. You have this!!” another wrote. “Come on, fight be strong! Sending love and prayers.”
“Tons of prayers are being sent out to Beth, Dog and the entire family,” another added.
In Fight of Their Lives, the couple attended church regularly ahead of Beth’s 13-hour surgery, with Dog saying of his mindset going into the procedure, “I believe in that positiveness. I don’t believe in the natural. The supernatural is what I wanna look at.”
“You pray, you ask God to intervene,” he added. “It’s the worst thing she’s ever faced. I’m scared to death. I don’t know what to say…I wish it were me.”
Throughout it all, however, Dog was confident that his wife would be able to make it through anything, saying, “We’re gonna show the world how she’s gonna beat this, OK? I couldn’t do this, OK. That’s a tough woman, physically, emotionally, spiritually. The cancer picked on the wrong female.”
Beth was equally confident, adding, “My whole life, I have been an example to other people. I’ve had so many comebacks. I’m gonna come back from this.”
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