Inside The Complex Family Life Of 'Honey Boo Boo's' Alana Thompson And Mama June

Feb 11, 2022 by apost team

Most people are familiar with the story of Alana Thompson, best known by her television name Honey Boo Boo. She and her family first began appearing on television back in 2011 when Alana was just five years old on the TLC series “Toddlers & Tiaras.” Alana found great success on the show as she was seen as a victor in the children’s beauty pageant circuit. 

Alana and the rest of her family – specifically her mother – stood out amongst the rest and were great for entertaining, leaving people wanting to know more about the Shannon family. TLC gave the family their very own TV show called “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” featuring Alana, her mom, and her siblings – Anna, Jessica, and Lauryn – as well as other extended family members and friends.

The show lasted for a couple of years, first airing in August 2012 and wrapping up in August 2014. The family’s entertaining yet controversial ways continued to intrigue people, leading them to star in a handful of spin-off series as well as other television programs.

What many people may not know is the controversial life story of June Shannon, who is famously known as Mama June. June has found herself in a number of troubling situations over the years, ultimately leading to the demise of various TV shows starring herself and her family members. She has struggled with relationships, addiction, and her temporary weight loss journey. Fans have developed a love/hate relationship with the mother as more of her story continues to unfold. Read on to find out more about the Shannon family and their life story.

June – also known as Mama June – has had a troubling life, with many of her best and worst moments publicized in the media and on the TLC network. June is a mother of four. She became pregnant with her first daughter, Anna, at the age of 14, giving birth just days after she turned 15. She went on to have two more daughters – Jessica and Lauryn – with a different man with a record. June’s youngest is Alana, who was born in 2005 and is fathered by Mike Thompson.

Back in March 2019, E! News reported that June was arrested for alleged possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. The mother and her then-boyfriend Geno Doak were also facing additional charges of alleged domestic violence in the third degree, along with the former charges.

The pair had been together for three years at this point and even appeared to be moving in a better direction together. That same month, June tweeted about the latest season of her show “Mama June: From Not to Hot” saying, “And yes the most outrageous moment is me getting (Geno) to possibly marry me, so we’re going to see what happens this season so let’s get to watching now.”

In October 2019, E! News posted an update explaining that both June and Doak pleaded not guilty to felony charges of drug possession. Their attorney appeared in court on their behalf. June also entered rehab to help with her addiction. The arrest also led to some tension within the family as June’s relationship with her daughters began to suffer.

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During a 2021 episode of “Mama June: Road to Redemption,” June and Alana talked about how the arrest impacted their relationship, especially since they hadn’t seen each other in a year. 

Alana told her mother:

“It’s just hard because you wasn’t there for my first day of high school and I think that’s a pretty big thing. It was hard for me not having my mom there and I had to come home and tell Pumpkin what I was doing. I’m very grateful that Pumpkin was there for me, but why wasn’t you there? Why wasn’t you there when I needed you most?”

June opened up about her addiction. “I know I was selfish when I went to rehab and to be honest with you, I’m still a little bit selfish in my recovery,” she explained. “But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get you all back in my life and that’s the reason why I’m here today.”

The mother also went through some drastic yet temporary changes with her appearance. She once weighed 460 pounds, but after undergoing bariatric surgery and living a healthier lifestyle with a good diet and exercise plan, she managed to lose more than 300 pounds. According to E! News, she was a size four in March 2017. “I’m happy with where I’m at because this has been an emotional and physical toll on my body and it’s not an easy road to go through, I promise you,” June said.

In 2021, June said that she was not healthy at her lowest weight, though, and explained that she is now about 250 pounds. In January 2022, Page Six reported that June had a new boyfriend, tattoo artist Justin Stroud.

Did you know about Mama June’s life story? Were you a fan of the TLC series starring the Shannon family? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends, too.