Lauryn ‘Pumpkin’ Shannon Admits She’s Been ‘Through the Ringer,’ and Fans Weigh In

Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon posted a personal check-in on Instagram this week, reminding fans that it is “okay not to be okay.” The reality star is dealing with a lot these days, and has smiled through every moment of it. On Wednesday, however, she reminded fans that she is still hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel.

Shannon posted a smiling selfie on Wednesday, along with a heartfelt message. The reality star wore glasses and a broad grin, her hair falling across one eye and partially obscuring her face. In the caption, she wrote about her state of mind.

“It’s okay not to be okay,” she wrote. “I’ve been through the ringer and back. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.”

Of course, fans do not need to be reminded about Shannon’s trials over the years. She was raised believing her father was Mark McDaniel, her mother’s ex-boyfriend who was convicted for sexually assaulting Shannon’s sister, Anna when she was a child. She later learned that her biological father was actually Michael Anthony Ford, and that he was also a convicted sex offender.

Shannon faced other struggles throughout her life as well. She was struck by lightning at the age of 6, and she had a daughter as a teenager, much like her mother. Shannon came out as bisexual at around the same time, dealing with all the personal and public backlash just after her family’s first reality show was canceled.

Still, Shannon has become one of the most reliable and stable members of her family, and has been a pillar for her siblings. She married the father of her child, Joshua Efird, and they were able to offer a home to her younger sister, Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson throughout their mother’s recent issues.

“Mama” June Shannon remains a question mark for fans these days. The matriarch of the family led the way back to reality TV back in 2017 with her series Mama June: From Not to Hot on We TV. However, after losing about 300 pounds with the help of surgery, June took a dark turn, falling into a relationship with Geno Doak.

Doak has a criminal record, and the Shannon daughters seem to fear he is tempting their mother into a similar lifestyle. In March of this year, the couple were arrested together, both on charges of felony drug possession when they were discovered with crack cocaine. At the end of Season 2 of From Not to Hot, the Shannon sisters held an intervention for their mother, who seemed unresponsive.

For now, Alana is still staying with Shannon until their mother can get her act together. As Shannon learned on Instagram this week, their fans are behind her.