ASHES TO ASHES
Dog the Bounty Hunter reveals he’s keeping some of Beth Chapman’s ashes so they can be joined with his after he dies in emotional interview
DOG the Bounty Hunter has revealed he's kept some of his wife's ashes so they can be reunited after he dies.
The TV star, 66, real name Duane Chapman, said that among wife Beth's final wishes was that their ashes be combined and kept in the same box.
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Beth died aged 51 last month after an 18-month battle with cancer.
Some of her ashes were spread at sea last week as part of a 'paddle out', a type of memorial ceremony traditional in Hawaii, where the couple had a home.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Duane has revealed that he kept some of the ashes back in accordance with what Beth asked before she died.
"I’ve never done ashes in my life," he said
"And that’s what she wanted.
And then she wants me to do it.
Duane gave the interview with Beth's remaining ashes in a pink box behind him.
"She said ‘Scatter some. Leave some on the fireplace’,” he said.
“Cause when I go to heaven she wants me in the box with her - not that I will.
“I was going to do all the scattering.
"And then I looked at it and I thought ‘I’m going to throw you away.
"Throw you away and start over.
"I can’t do that."
'I WAKE UP THINKING SHE'S THERE'
Beth was first diagnosed with stage two throat cancer in November 2017 and later developed stage-four lung cancer.
She had undergone a number of hospital admissions in recent months, and spent the days before she died in a medically-induced coma.
Asked how he was coping with the loss, Duane said: “In a new experience that you have you don’t know how you’re doing because you’ve never experienced it.
"I am a cry baby.
"I can cry talking about crying.
"So I would be crying through the whole thing.
"And I sob - I can’t stop it.
"So I can’t do that."
He added: "You know, I haven’t gotten past the place where I’m still putting a pillow where she was.
"And covering it up, like the jailhouse escape, right?
"I mean it, and then I wake up in the middle of the night and see her and it doesn’t register that it ain’t her.
"I’m still there."
Duane shot to fame in 2004 with Dog The Bounty Hunter, a reality series chronicling his experiences locating and arresting people who had breached their bail agreements.
The show was an instant hit, with viewers drawn in by Chapman's street smarts, his team, and his attempts to rehabilitate and counsel the people he was able to track down.
The show ended in 2012 after eight seasons and was replaced in 2013 by Dog and Beth: On The Hunt, a spin-off series starring both Duane and Beth.
Announcing Beth's death, Duane tweeted: “It’s 5:32 in Hawaii, this is the time she would wake up to go hike Koko Head mountain.
"Only today, she hiked the stairway to heaven.
"We all love you, Beth. See you on the other side."
Daughter Bonnie tweeted: “Love you forever mom. You’ve got a halo now.
“I’ll never forget you, mama.
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"You were such a strong woman, and you taught me to always be strong.
"You were strong for everyone, and you taught me it’s okay to let go."
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