Dog The Bounty Hunter speaks to daughter for first time in months as granddaughter fulfills Beth’s dying wish
DOG The Bounty Hunter has spoken to daughter Lyssa Chapman for the first time in months as his granddaughter fulfills his late wife Beth's final wishes and joins the US Air Force.
Lyssa's daughter Abbie, 17, was sworn into the Air Force on Tuesday after spending her high school years training as a cadet.
Proud mum Lyssa said she was happy her daughter was following her dreams - and revealed how Beth, who tragically died last June from cancer, had been the one to encourage Abbie to join the military - after the teen started to have second thoughts last year.
Abbie and Lyssa spent their last weekend together hiking and enjoying several farewell meals with friends and family - and also received a surprise phone call from Dog - who has not spoken to them for several weeks.
Lyssa said dad Dog, who she has had a strained relationship after she voiced her concern he had moved on too quickly with ex girlfriend Moon Angell, is also proud of Abbie.
And he spoke to them both for the first time since the uproar over his relationship this week - to tell them he loved them.
"He called and we just chatted and I updated him about Abbie and told him I love him," Lyssa told The Sun.
"He said, 'I need to talk to my daughter and my granddaughters'.
"I told him of course and then Abbie spoke to him later in the day.
"You know we still have a long way to go and obviously we are not together but family will always be family.
"It's just about finding that middle ground where everyone feels comfortable.
"But it was good timing that he reached out right before Abbie left."
Their phone conversation came after Dog shared a rare photo with other daughter Cecily after their damaging family fallout.
The pair squashed reports of a feud by sharing a tribute to Beth Chapman, after the star dumped girlfriend Moon Angell who had dated his son.
Speaking about her pride at Abbie' joining the military, Lyssa went on: "I'm super proud of Abbie - she's really an incredible kid.
"She graduated high school a year early at 16 because she was a genius and during those three years of high school she was involved in the Air Force ROTC program and really loved it and loves the idea of going to serve our country.
"And what's really amazing is, the last time that we saw Beth alive before she went into the coma, I took Abbie to the house and she was having second thoughts about joining the military.
"And grandma told her, 'Abbie, you do that. You know that's something that's super important'. It was something that Beth was so proud of her for doing."
Before leaving for Texas to undergo bootcamp, Abbie added: "She [Beth] was very adamant about me joining, I was considering maybe doing community college for a year but she told me - about two months before she passed - 'No you need to go out there and do your own thing, you need to be your own person - it doesn't matter how young you are... it's time for you to be independent.'
"I know she feels proud. I know if she was still here she'd definitely want to be here when I join up.
"I'm nervous about joining and leaving my mom and my family but I'm excited - it's like college but I get paid to learn things.
"My mom and sister mean everything to me so it's going to be tough but we have letters and stuff so that will be cool."
Lyssa says that like any mother she is sad to say goodbye to daughter Abbie, who she had when she was just 15.
"I was a teen mom - long before it was cool," she laughs.
"I had Abbie the day after my 15th birthday.
"Like any milestone you hit as a parent - from the first step, to the first haircut, to the first boyfriend - it's incredible. Those milestones become bigger and bigger and now this is a really big milestone.
"I just told her 'I taught you a lot and I think that you have all the necessary skills to make it in the world and I'm just really proud of her.
"We're sad, obviously. I cried 10 times a day - I'm not gonna lie.
"Every time I walk in her room I think, 'Oh, she's leaving', it's obviously super emotional.
"But at the same time I feel very prideful. I didn't have a lot of options when I was a teenager. I had very different circumstances but she's got the whole world in front of her.
"I feel like I'm turning in my final art project - Like I've been working on this masterpiece for almost 18 years now.
"I'm just, I'm really, really happy for her and I'm sad and happy. It's just a big ball of emotion."
Dog's family relationships have been strained since he started dating Moon, Beth's maid of honor and the ex of Dog's son.
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Beth even Moon before she died and "knew her intentions".
The star's family have spoken out about the relationship both publicly and privately - saying they thought it was disrespectful to his late wife Beth.
Dog and earlier this month after rows with her and his kids.
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