Dog the Bounty Hunter's daughter Lyssa defends his new romance just 10 months after Beth Chapman's death
Duane 'Dog' Chapman has a new girlfriend, and his family for a change approves of her. Chapman, in March, revealed he is dating a woman named Francie Frane. The 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' star's daughter, Lyssa Chapman, appeared to approve of Frane as she posted a picture of the couple on Instagram on Tuesday, April 14, writing: "How cute are these two?!” Lyssa had reportedly disapproved of Chapman's relationship with former girlfriend Moon Angell.
Shortly after fans criticized Chapman for the new relationship with Frane — nearly 10 months after his wife Beth Chapman's death — his other daughter, 21-year-old Bonnie Chapman stepped in to defend the star. Beth died last June at the age of 51 after a long struggle with throat cancer. Chapman was left devastated after the tragedy.
"Everyone who’s judging my father should sure pray that they never have to lose their loved one and get judged for trying to fill the void," Bonnie wrote April 14. "Your opinion is invalid. My mother would’ve wanted him to be happy. Now please shut up and let me my dad live in peace."
Chapman, while talking to People, last summer revealed he promised Beth he would not wed again and stated last fall he wasn't ready to date either.
"Not that I have, but you know, it’s not worth it,” he told the outlet. “I don’t want to tell the whole story about my mom, my dad and my life and all that stuff again to a new person. Not yet." The reality star, however, appears to have found someone he is ready to share his life with.
Chapman, 67, in an interview with The Sun in March, called his relationship with Frane "a miracle."
“It’s going really good,” he said. “It’s a God relationship because it’s just like a miracle. It’s a miracle how we met and it’s a miracle how great we’re getting along." Chapman, and Frane, 51, reportedly bonded over their shared grief of losing a spouse to cancer. Frane, a rancher from Colorado, was also struggling with the grief of losing her husband who died just months before Beth.
"I know that when I start to feel bad about Beth and it’s overwhelming, Francie seems to show up and that helps the kids,” Chapman said. “And I feel that Beth expects her to show up to take care of me. And Bob, Francie’s late husband, expects me to be a man and a gentleman and so I am. It’s a very real love that we are developing with each other,” he continued. “Both of us are allowed to talk about our spouses that are in Heaven — it’s not like we’re afraid to mention it or anything like that. We console each other but we also know that we have a responsibility and that is to do this right. There are a lot of people watching us.”
When asked whether he will marry Frane, Chapman said "there will never be another Mrs. Dog" but " it looks like there will be a final Mrs. Chapman."
Chapman's representative, in a statement to People, said that the reality star is "very happy. He is sending much love and aloha to all of his fans, and hopes everyone is staying safe and healthy."