Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman’s Fiancee Francie Frane Becomes Comfort for His Kids in Wake of Wife Beth’s Death

Duane “Dog” Chapman’s fiancee Francie Frane has already become a major source of comfort for his children following wife Beth Chapman‘s death in June 2019. Although Chapman is looking forward to marrying Frane soon, he still has a place in his heart for Beth, who would have celebrated her 53rd birthday on Thursday. Beth died after a battle with throat and lung cancer, and her health battle was the focus of their WGN America series Dog’s Most Wanted.

“Francie is there for them. She’s not their mom, but she’s helping a lot because she is a mother. Every day, you know, I try to talk to every one of my kids… and some days, it’s tough for them and some days, it’s less tough,” Chapman told InTouch Weekly Thursday. “If we could make her come home, we would all do that whatever it costs.” Chapman and Frane have been engaged since May and bonded over their mutual loss of a spouse. Months before Chapman met Frane, her husband Bob died of cancer.

The Dog the Bounty Hunter star “just needed a Francie next to my side to help me make it” after Beth’s death, he said Thursday. He noted that Frane and her two sons are also hunters, but Frane is not trying to be Beth. “There will never be another Mrs. Dog, but as I have said, there will be a final Mrs. Chapman,” Chapman told InTouch. “There’s a lot of things that Francie would never do that Beth did, and there’s a lot of things Beth would never do that Francie did.”

On Thursday, Chapman and his children posted several tributes to Beth on her birthday. “You are celebrating this day with Jesus and all his angels that’s the only thing that gets us through without you happy birthday Beth we miss you & love you,” Chapman wrote on his own Instagram page, alongside a photo of Beth. Their daughter Bonnie Chapman also shared a photo of Beth. “I miss you every day. Happy birthday, mom,” she wrote.

Although Frane is not like Beth, she is still appearing on camera with Chapman. She joined him to film Dog Unleased, an upcoming series for the Unleashed streaming platform. In his interview with PopCulture, Chapman promised plenty of controversial moments on the series. “I had been leashed up and told, ‘You can’t do that,’ and, ‘You can’t have that made public,’ so I’m hoping this is my final series,” Chapman said. “I tell [the film team] just shut up and roll.
 …We’re gonna start some controversy, and I think I’m the president of that.”