‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ Star Duane Chapman and Fiancee Francie Frane Pose With Granddaughter Abbie for Her 18th Birthday

The lead star of Dog the Bounty Hunter is celebrating a major milestone with granddaughter Abbie Mae and fiancé Francie Frane as the daughter of Lyssa Chapman turned 18 Thursday. Duane “Dog” Chapman shared a sweet photo of himself with the birthday girl and his future wife on Instagram, writing alongside a message wishing her a special day, “We love you & we are so proud of you.”

Dog’s followers couldn’t help but notice how similar Abbie looks to her mom, especially as she grows up. “Happy [birthday] she looks just like baby Lyssa,” one person wrote. “I’m sure your so proud of your family! You and Francie look cute!” Another person added, “Happy Birthday to your granddaughter, she’s the image of Lyssa. Sending love.” Lyssa also penned a note to her daughter, writing on social media, “Officially the mother of an ADULT! Happy 18th birthday to the person who made me a Mom. I’m so proud of you. I love you!!! … Have Fun and Be Safe.”

Abbie Mae has had a tough few months, mourning the loss of grandmother Beth Chapman after the reality personality died of throat cancer in June 2019. On Oct. 30, Abbie took to Instagram with a heartfelt birthday message for her late grandma, saying Beth had taught her “that a woman can be so much more than what the world wants us to be.” Abbie continued that she learned to “never give up” and to embrace her family, in whatever form she found it in this world.

She continued that she wishes her grandma could see her and her sister Mady grow from “the little girls you helped raise to the strong women we are going to be.” Abbie concluded, “You taught me so much Grandma and you showed me true strength and love.”

As the Chapman family mourns the loss of Beth, Dog has found comfort in fiancé Frane, to whom he proposed in May. The couple met as they were both trying to cope following the death of a spouse, with Frane having recently lost her husband Bob. She told The Sun after their engagement that while there will always be people who accuse them of moving on too quickly, “the truth is that both of us have spent three years walking alongside our spouses sick and we know that God brought us together and that’s why we don’t believe that it’s too soon and because we both have done our share of screaming and crying and asking why.” Coming together with a shared experience that grew into a friendship and then eventually a romance, Frane continued, “We don’t believe that it’s too soon.”