Some eight months after his beloved wife Beth Chapman died of complications from cancer at the age of 51, Dog The Bounty Hunter shared his grief with fans.
Now, just over two months after the one-year anniversary of her death, the reality star is once again opening up about how the loss has transformed his life.
‘It is the worst thing I have ever been through in my entire life,’ Dog (born Duane Chapman), 67, confessed in an interview with the Daily Star.
‘It just feels terrible to lose a spouse and have your wife go before you,’ said the reality TV star.
Heartfelt: Dog The Bounty Hunter (born Duane Chapman), 67, shared about how he has had to adjust to life after the death of his beloved wife Beth Chapman in June 2019
Dog and Beth shot into reality TV stardom following the premiere of Dog The Bounty Hunter series, where they chased down criminals on the run, on A&E in 2004.
After the original show was canceled in 2012, the couple then starred in the spin-off series Dog And Beth: On The Hunt on CMT, and most recently Dog’s Most Wanted on WGN that also chronicled Beth’s cancer diagnosis, treatments, and ultimately her death.
‘I’ve had to adjust – Beth isn’t there anymore telling me to stay back or warning me a guy is about to shoot,’ he admitted, with obvious emotion in his voice and words, before revealing some of the courage and strength he has gotten in the wake of her passing.
‘But I’m no longer afraid to die. I don’t want to die, but I’m not scared anymore. When I go to catch somebody, I stick out my chest and go for it.’
Dog and Beth first starred in the reality series Dog The Bounty Hunter in 2004, and again in Dog And Beth: On The Hunt, and most recently Dog’s Most Wanted
RIP: Beth Chapman cancer diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately death art the age of 51 on Dog’s Most Wanted that first aired in September 2019
Initially, Dog wanted to stop filming the series when his wife got the tragic news that her cancer had come back, but she stuck to her motto: ‘If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die in my boots’, and urged her husband to continue making the show.
‘Fans will know from watching our shows that I could always recommend things to Beth, but I could never tell her what to do,’ Dog said of his wife’s personality.
He went on to reveal that if the roles were reversed. and it was him who was him who was in her position, then he would have shut down filming.
‘But she wanted to do it, and she says it in Dog’s Most Wanted when she goes “this is not Big Daddy’s idea, this is mine”. She chose to do that.’
And it turns out fans of the show tuned-in in droves to see the heartbreaking episodes by setting new records for broadcaster WGN when it first aired in September 2019, which Dog believes is a ‘fitting tribute’ to his late wife.
Her wishes: Initially, Dog wanted to stop filming the series when his wife got the tragic news that her cancer had come back, but she stuck to her motto: ‘If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die in my boots’, and urged her husband to continue making the show
Over the years, since the inception of Dog The Bounty Hunter, Dog and his crew have captured more than 8,000 fugitives, which includes predators who have sexually assaulted women and children and those behind domestic violence.
‘That always gets to me. I’ve caught guys who’ve changed a woman’s whole face with their fist. I want to take down those kinds of people, said Dog.
‘I love my job. I really enjoy taking out people who hurt other people and I like getting into their heart and soul to see what makes them tick and try to change it.’
And that passion is why Dog has vowed to continue bounty hunting for as long as possible.
His passion wages on: Dog has vowed to continue bounty hunting for as long as possible