Entertainment TV Reality TV Mama June Shannon and Her Kids Say They're 'Dysfunctional' but 'Are All We Have Left' After Anna's Death (Exclusive) In December 2023, Anna died surrounded by her friends and family after fighting stage 4 cancer By Esther Kang Esther Kang Esther Kang is a writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023 and has previously worked for publications like TMZ and TooFab. People Editorial Guidelines and Dory Jackson Dory Jackson Dory Jackson is a Staff Editor for PEOPLE's TV News team. Upon joining the brand in March 2021, she has had the opportunity to interview a long list of celebrities, from Kate Hudson to Pierce Brosnan to Billy Porter. She has also helped recap popular TV shows like 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,' 'Sister Wives' and 'Vanderpump Rules.' The New York-based Maryland native graduated from Randolph-Macon College in May 2016 with a focus on Communication Studies and Journalism. She came to PEOPLE in March 2021 after working at a number of major news companies, including Newsweek and Us Weekly. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 4, 2024 05:15PM EDT Close (L-R) June Shannon, Lauryn Efrid, Jessica Shannon, Anna Cardwell and Alana Thompson. Photo: The Mega Agency Mama June Shannon and her daughters Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird and Jessica "Chubbs" Shannon are leaning on each other now more than ever. When Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell died from stage 4 cancer in December 2023, the family made a point to put their personal issues aside and band together for her final days. Though Anna is no longer with them, Mama June and her girls have stuck together through thick and thin. "We are dysfunctional," Lauryn exclusively tells PEOPLE during a sit down with her family members. "But we were saying earlier too though, it is always kind of just been us. So regardless of all the hardships and the arguing and all that stuff, we are all we have left." Anna Cardwell's family visit her in the hospital. Lauryn Efird/ Instagram Anna Cardwell's Friends and Family Say Their Goodbyes When Her Health Rapidly Declines and She Nears Her Final Breath Despite the ups and downs they've faced throughout the years, Mama June adds that it's "always" just been her and the girls. "Their fathers haven't been involved and stuff like that," she explains. "So if today, [my husband] Justin [Stroud] left me, Josh left Pumpkin, Dralin left her, Cheyenne left her, we would all have to move in the same house with the babies and we would just do life." "This is Justin's favorite saying, 'I've never seen a family like this.' We can argue sitting right here and in an hour later we're calling each other and talking like nothing ever happened," she adds. Mama June Shannon Is 'Hoping' to Move Out of Home Where Daughter Anna Died: 'A Constant Nightmare' (Exclusive) Anna Cardwell. Anna Cardwell/Instagram On the June 28 episode of Mama June: Family Crisis, Anna's condition took a dramatic turn and Mama June called her hospice nurse to check her vitals. After taking her pulse and other tests, the health care professional confirmed that Anna was "transitioning" and would soon die following her cancer journey. After her tragic passing, Anna's family members grew emotional and recalled the moment she took her final breath. In a video message, Mama June revealed that Anna died "peacefully" and had "won her battle because Anna's no longer suffering." "We were all just sitting there talking," Alana said in a video of her own. "And she took her last breath. I really wish she could have seen me graduate but that'll be okay because she's watching over me." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Mama June: Family Crisis airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on WEtv.