Amid the news of Beth Chapman‘s recent health struggles that put her in a medically induced coma early Sunday morning, it is no secret that the Dog the Bounty Hunter star and her husband, Duane “Dog” Chapman have been through their fair share of ups and downs.
But while they have been through a lot together over the course of their relationship, the toughest challenge yet has been the two overcoming her health struggles.
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Having learned in November 2018 that Chapman’s cancer had returned after two surgeries with one initially in 2017, the Chapman family has said most recently they are looking at options to ease her pain. But while this weekend’s news has been unfortunate for the family, the two are still by each other’s side with Dog asking fans for prayers on Saturday as news broke.
Keep scrolling to see how Chapman’s cancer journey has progressed, and learn where the reality personalities are now in the fight of their lives.
First meeting
When Dog and Beth first met, the bounty hunter already had been married four previous times — La Fonda Sue Honeycutt from 1972-1977, Anne M. Tegnell from 1979-1982, Lyssa Rae Brittain from 1982-1991 and Tawny Marie from 1992-1994.
Beth, meanwhile, was only 19 at the time. The two had an on-again, off-again relationship for a decade after meeting in 1986, but finally moved in together and blended their families in 1995.
Starting a family
The two welcomed two kids together during this time, having daughter Bonnie in 1999 and son Garry in 2001. The couple also has children from their previous relationships, including his nine kids from previous relationship and her two.
In 2004, Dog the Bounty Hunter began to air on A&E, focusing on their intertwined business and personal lives bounty hunting.
Tying the Knot
Two years after making their TV debuts, the couple tied the knot in a 2006 Hawaiian ceremony. But the happy day was not without tragedy. A day before the nuptials, Dog’s daughter, Barbara Chapman, died at the age of 23 in an Alaska car crash. The two decided to continue on with the wedding along with the rest of the family as a celebration of her life, they explained on their show.
On the Hunt
After eight seasons of Dog the Bounty Hunter came to an end in 2012, the couple appeared in a spinoff of their show called Dog and Beth: On the Hunt from 2013 to 2015. The CMT show concentrated on the couple’s personal life, as well as their relationships with other bail bond agencies struggling to keep afloat.
Throat Cancer Diagnosis
In September 2017, the couple announced the shocking and tragic news that Beth had been diagnosed with Stage II throat cancer, and had a 50/50 chance of survival if she underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove the cancerous mass.
The emotional time for the couple, as well as the triumphant declaration that Beth was “cancer-free” appeared on an A&E special, Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives.
Quitting Bounty Hunting
In November 2017, the couple announced in an interview with TooFab that they both would be stepping back from their work as bounty hunters and concentrate on Beth’s health.
“I don’t know that he’s looked for a job in the past 40 years, but we gotta change because we need longevity,” Beth told the publication. “We have small children, we have people counting on us. It doesn’t mean that our stance on the criminal justice system has changed, it means that we may want to change.”
Dog said his next step would hopefully still involve the legal system.
“I would hope that whatever I did people could profit and get happy about it. I like to see, laugh and cry when it’s in a good way. I don’t know,” he said. “For 40 years, I’ve done bounty hunting. I think it’d have to be something in law enforcement. It’s just amazing, we’re taking it day to day, it’s amazing she’s alive. We’re so glad that people prayed to God, there’s a God. I made some deals with him this time. I made some good deals. I just thank God he’s still with us.”
Emergency Surgery
A year later in November 2018, Beth was rushed into emergency surgery after experiencing a “blockage” in her throat.
After two hours under the knife, the couple confirmed that Beth’s cancer had returned, and that while doctors were confident they had gotten the majority of the mass, her prognosis was unsure at the time. A second mass was also found in her lung, the family explained, and at the time was being biopsied.
“She had a lump in her throat twice the size of last time, and they performed an emergency surgery yesterday. They cut a hole in her throat so she can breathe; she can still talk,” he told Us Weekly adding, she’s “doing the best she can and remains incredibly strong.”
Cancer’s Return
Following the devastating news, Dog told TMZ, “Please say a prayer. She’s not doing good.”
The couple’s daughter, Lyssa Chapman, added as he got choked up, “We really appreciate the prayers of our fans. We really appreciate the support of our fans. We’re all so devastated. We love our mommy so much, and thank you guys for being here. We’ve got such an amazing outpour from our fans. … Poor daddy.”
Beth’s medically induced coma
Dog took to Twitter to ask fans for prayers on Saturday as his wife, Beth, entered a medically induced coma.
Beth was put into a medically induced coma this weekend as a part of her ongoing treatment for throat cancer, which TMZ later clarified as a choking incident. The reality star’s family is looking for all the help it can get, as Dog showed in a tweet beseeching his fans for their prayers.
“Please say your prayers for Beth right now,” he tweeted in the early hours of the morning. “Thank you love you.”
Late on Saturday night, Honolulu News Now in Hawaii reported that Chapman was in the Intensive Care Unit at the Queen’s Medical Center and had been placed into a medically-induced coma. Her family released a statement to the outlet, confirming the news.
