Mama June: From Not to Hot: Pumpkin Says Her Mother Has A Big Part In Her Marriage Issues

Once part of the exuberant cast of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Pumpkin Efird has become a young woman with more than her share of responsibilities. Now married with a 3-year-old daughter, Efird also acted as legal guardian to her 15-year-old sister, Alana Thompson, for nearly three years.

Her mother, “Mama” June Shannon, has gone from outspoken children’s stage mother to weight-loss success. She then fell into drug addiction and wasted most of the family’s telfund on her habit before finally getting clean. Her quest to reconnect with Lauryn Shannon, Alana Thompson and the rest of the family is the story of the new TLC series Mama June: Road to Redemption. 

But while Mama June seems to be putting her life back together, the daughters she left behind are struggling with the impact of their choices and their feelings about their mother.

In a recent interview, Lauryn Shannon admitted to feeling a little resentful that June Shannon spent nearly $1 million on drugs while struggling to support her daughter and sister. She added that Mama June has yet to prove how much she appreciates Lauryn Shannon’s efforts.

Mama June: From Not to Hot: Pumpkin Says Her Mother Has A Big Part In Her Marriage Issues

In another recent interview – this time with In Touch Weekly – Lauryn Shannon spoke about her marriage and admitted honestly: “Oour main issue is just everything that’s going on with my mom”.

In 2018, she and husband Josh Efird were newly married with a newborn when they agreed to take over Alana Thompson’s care. This left them no time to enjoy being a young family of three. “So that for sure sucks,” Pumpkin said. 

June recently disclosed that she was diagnosed with lymphoedema, a condition that causes swelling of the limbs due to inadequate drainage of lymph nodes.

When asked to comment on the news, Pumpkin told In Touch that she is torn between concern for her mother and the need to protect her mental and physical well-being. “It’s not that I’m not worried about her health issues; it’s just that … I do have to step back a little bit because I do have a lot going on.” 

In an upcoming episode of The Road to Redemption, both Alana Thompson and Lauryn Shannon will be shown confronting their mother, whom they hadn’t seen in a year before recording this episode. While Alana Thompson tearfully shares her fear that her mother might overdose, Lauryn Shannon lets out her frustration. “I can’t give Alana her mom,” she says. “It’s like I’m drowning.”