Struggling with losing a mother to cancer is immensely hard on any daughter, as we at SurvivorNet well know. What can make it even more challenging is if your mourning takes place in the public eye — something the children of Beth Chapman, the acclaimed bounty hunter, wife of Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman and mother of four who died last month at age 51, know far too well.
Cecily Chapman, Beth’s oldest daughter from her first marriage to Keith Barmore.
Beth’s oldest daughter, Cecily, 26, has been grieving publicly via Instagram since her mother died. With her mother’s public memorial approaching, Cecily proclaimed via Instagram that “My heart is so heavy (broken heart emoji)”. Her comment accompanied a photo of Beth behind the wheel of her car, showcasing her amazing, dazzling nails, a Beth Chapman signature look.
A day later, Cecily went to the acclaimed Honolulu nail salon Nail’s By Danny, which Beth herself visited shortly before her demise, and showed her Instagram fans a new manicure – long nails painted pink with white tips and bedazzled in blue and green rhinestones — that looks just like Beth’s.
The caption read: "Cried the whole time but it was totally worth it iLy @nailsbydanny & @mrsdog4real."
Cecily’s nail bling looked just the same as the one Beth sported on her deathbed.
When supporters saw the post, they quickly understood what a meaningful tribute it was to Beth and her love of beautiful nails. "Beautiful, just like your mom's! It's such a tribute to her that you did this!"
"Gorgeous! Your mom is smiling [nail polish emoji]"
Cecily Chapman, 26
"Those are gorgeous!!! Your hands look just like Mama!!! What a sweet tribute, your Mom would be so proud and is no doubt smiling down from heaven @cecilybeezee"
Others commented on the resemblance to her mom's nails, how much her mom adores Cecily. "She loves you so so so much. What pretty nails to match two beautiful women. Sending so much love and peace your way, sweet girl! "
Dakota Chapman, Beth’s stepgrandson, shared this throwback photo of Beth and Cecily on Instagram.
And one even said they thought that her hands were her moms, the resemblance was so striking. "I thought your hands were your moms hands. Wow! Brought tears to my eyes. Exactly alike. Beautiful! God Bless You!"
Beth and Cecily Chapman in a loving throwback photo posted by Cecily to Instagram Stories.
Supporters commented with words of love and support, knowing how much Beth's nails meant to Beth and to those around her. "I'm so so sorry. I can't even imagine what this is like for you. Your mother was an incredible woman on so many levels…. she left much of herself in all of you. â™¥ï¸ I pray for your heart to heal from this pain when it "I'm so sorry. She was an amazing woman that I looked up to and I was hoping someday I'll be able to be meet her but now I'll never get the chance and that breaks my heart."
Cecily Chapman employed this photo of gorgeous plumeria flowers to express that she feels her mother Beth “everywhere”.
One supporter even likened the posting to their memories of their father's hands after he passed. "You know, I always think of my fathers hands. She had subh beautiful hands. You take care of your old dad. That's the greatest tribute to your mom. That, and seeing her babies go on to live long happy and healthy lives. God bless angel."
Cecily Chapman shared this snapshot from her Instagram Explorer feature to show how many of her most viewed items were of her mother, Beth.
Cecily is Beth's second child with her first husband Keith Barmore, now 65, to whom Beth was briefly married before divorcing him and marrying Dog. Keith was a friend of Dog's. Beth had a son, Dominic, by a man other than Keith, prior to Cecily, when Beth was 17. Dominic, Cecily's half brother, was taken away by state child welfare authorities, and only reunited with Beth when Dog tracked him down as an adult. Dog adopted Cecily. She also has two younger half siblings, Bonnie and Garry Dee, who are Beth's children by Dog.
Beth and Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman
Touchingly, Beth chose Cecily for her final Instagram post before her tragic passing. To mark Cecily's 26th birthday, Beth shared a beautiful portrait of her eldest daughter and wrote: "My sunshine ! Turns 26 today."
Beth went on to remark that Cecily is "A true beauty with street smarts she's reliable dependable trustworthy and true a bit devious but that comes from her up bringing she's clever and sassy.. but you'll find no one more loyal to family then she [is]! Through thick and through thin all out or all in we have muddled through this together … Celebrating Her Birthday today I'm reminded what great sacrifices she makes for family every day … Your are loved beyond words Cecily savannah you stay sweet. {or you'll answer to yo mama}."
Beth died after a long struggle with cancer. When she learned her cancer had returned in late 2018, she decided to forego chemotherapy and place her faith in the Lord. "Chemotherapy is not my bag," she told assembled congregants at the Source Church in Bradenton, Florida on Mothers Day.
