Beth Chapman, 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Star, Dead at 51 -- Family and Fans React

Beth Chapman, star of the TV series "Dog the Bounty Hunter," has died.

Her husband, Duane "Dog" Chapman, confirmed the news on Wednesday morning in a tweet to his followers. "It's 5:32 in Hawaii, this is the time she would wake up to go hike Koko Head mountain," he wrote, "Only today, she hiked the stairway to heaven. We all love you, Beth. See you on the other side."

The couple's daughter, Bonnie, also shared a string of messages about her mother's passing on Twitter. "Love you forever mom. You've got a halo now," she wrote. "I'll never forget you, mama. 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."

After apparently seeing some negative comments, Bonnie wrote, "For those talking shit about my mother after her death, shame on you. My mother was a person and doesn't deserve to be degraded because of ANY of her or my father's past. My mother fought for women's rights and was the kindest woman."

"So thankful I got your beautiful smile," she later posted, "I'd never thought I'd lose my mom at 20. I told her I thought she had a couple years left, but in her eyes she disagreed."

Son Garry also tweeted, "These past few years you have stressed to be strong now I know why you always told me to. You knew that one day soon I would need the strength to bear your loss."

Stepdaughter Lyssa retweeted her father's message, adding, "Beth we love you."

Beth had been battling cancer and recently stopped chemo. She was placed in a medically induced coma last Saturday.

Chapman was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2017 and chronicled her journey on A&E's "Dog and Beth: Fight of Their Lives." At the time, she underwent surgery to have a Stage II tumor removed. The cancer returned in November 2018 and earlier this year, she was hospitalized with respiratory issues.

On Mother's Day 2019, she addressed churchgoers in Florida and explained why she was no longer undergoing chemotherapy.

"Chemotherapy is not my bag, people. Sorry, that's not for me," she told the congregation. "So for me, this is the ultimate test of faith. This is my ultimate lesson. And it will either be taught to me or to you. And I am fine with taking the hit for everyone else. Because I think I know another guy who did the same thing."

Beth and Dog first met in 1989, before they eventually tied the knot in 2006, following the death of Duane's daughter Barbara. She has two children from previous relationships, Dominic and Cecily, as well as two children with Duane; Bonnie and Garry.

Their family shot to fame in 2004, with the A&E premiere of "Dog the Bounty Hunter." The show ran for eight seasons, before spawning a CMT spinoff and multiple A&E specials. A new series, "Dog's Most Wanted," is due to air in 2020 on WGN.

Following her death, celebrity friends and fans started sharing their condolences on social media, including Scott Baio, who tweeted, "RIP Sweet @MrsdogC . Sending our deepest sympathy and prayers to @DogBountyHunter and his family." We'll update as more are posted.