Duane ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ Chapman surprised fans with news of his engagement to his new girlfriend on Monday, just 10 months after the death of his beloved wife Beth.
And his daughter Bonnie Chapman, 21, was quick to show her support for her famous father and defend him against criticism.
‘Please just let my father live in peace. Let him be happy, please for the love of god let him be,’ she pleaded in a comment she shared in response to Duane’s Instagram post.
Happy: Bonnie Chapman, daughter of Duane ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ Chapman, expressed support for the reality star after he surprised fans with news of his engagement on Monday
‘Let him live in peace’: Bonnie, 21, pleaded with people to let her famous father ‘be happy’ after he found love again 10 months after the death of his wife Beth from cancer
Bonnie went on: ‘My father has gone through so much this past year without my mother. It’s been extremely difficult to see one parent pass, and the other so intent on following. My father deserves to be happy.’
‘He’s still got my mothers name on his chest, he’ll never forget her and the love she gave him. She would be happy my father is in love and finding peace. Please keep your comments to yourself, and if you can’t then it reflects more on you than him.’
She concluded: ‘Francie is a wonderful woman, as usual no one can replace my mother; but it’s okay to let new people in…… I had this talk with her, my mother had so much love for my father, she would never want him to be alone. My mom wanted him to be happy no matter what.’
Her mom: Bonnie is one of two children Duane had with Beth, his fifth wife; they also had a son Garry, 19. Beth and Bonnie are pictured together in a snap shared via Facebook
Supportive: Bonnie appeared on her dad Duane’s reality TV show, pictured in August 2019, and said Monday he deserves to be happy after feeling suicidal following Beth’s passing
Bonnie is one of two children Duane had with Beth, his fifth wife; they also had a son Garry, 19.
Beth Chapman lost her battle with cancer on June 26, 2019, in Hawaii.
Duane, 67, began dating Francie Frane earlier this year and got down on one knee to propose during a romantic dinner at their home in Colorado, The Sun reported.
Francie, 51, said: ‘I wasn’t expecting it at all. think I had gone to pick up some food and then when I came back he had all the lights turned down with just a few lights on and a bunch of candles lit.’
Engaged: Duane, 67, went down on one knee to propose to Francie Frane, 51, whom he began dating earlier this year
In love: News of the engagement came after he had posted this sweet tribute to his new lady love on his Instagram on Saturday
Duane told The Sun he’s so happy he wants to have the ‘biggest wedding there’s ever been,’ open to all his fans, in what he says will be ‘one hell of a party.
Dog wants to invite his 12 children, Francie’s two sons and their grandchildren, but is so happy, he says that all fans are welcome, too, saying: ‘people need a bit of love after lockdown.’
The couple believe their meeting was due to divine intervention as Francie lost her husband Bob six months prior to Beth’s passing.
Dog had left a message on her phone asking Bob to do some work for him but didn’t know he had passed away and he and Francie became friends after that.
RIP: Beth Chapman died of complications from cancer in late June 2019 at the age of 51; Beth and Dog are pictured together in April 2015
Sharing similar beliefs: The new couple have also been sharing their love of God in their social media posts