UPDATE, 9/16/19, 3:10pm ET: A rep for Duane Chapman tells HollywoodLife after his heart emergency and hospitalization that, “I can confirm Dog is under doctor’s care and is resting comfortably. Thank you for all of your well wishes — keep ’em coming.”
ORIGINAL: Duane “Dog The Bounty Hunter” Chapman was hospitalized over the weekend of September 14 after suffering a “heart emergency” that could require surgery, TMZ reports. The Dog’s Most Wanted star, 66, was taken to a hospital from his home in Colorado, according to the outlet, after experiencing chest pain. It’s unclear if Dog had a heart attack; doctors are performing tests to determine what happened, and if he will need surgery after the cardiac event. No further information about Dog’s condition is available at this time.
Dog’s hospitalization comes just three months after his beloved wife, Beth Chapman, died after a brutal battle with throat cancer. The tragedy, of course, hit Dog hard. He and Beth had been together for decades, and married since 2006. He told Entertainment Tonight in July that he was having trouble eating following her passing, and had lost 17 pounds in a matter of weeks. “I can’t eat. Two bites, I’m full. I got to force feed myself like I force fed her,” he said. “I never ordered..I’m having a hard time ordering food. …Chewing ice helps, and I’ve lost 17 pounds in about two weeks.” He also said that he’s been having trouble sleeping. “I wake up to always touch her, especially when she was sick, I’d have to wake up a few times when she stopped breathing. … So I’m used to that, and I don’t sleep solid anymore.”
The premiere of his new show, Dog’s Most Wanted, was a bittersweet experience for the reality star. Beth is featured heavily in the WGN show, which filmed while she was dealing with her cancer. A source close to Dog told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY in August, shortly before the series premiere, that Dog “is still very much grieving over the loss of Beth, who was his soulmate, best friend and partner in crime for most of his life. Of course, Dog wishes Beth was here to watch the show with him and while it will be challenging to look back at those memories, it will also bring him peace and comfort knowing she spent her last days doing exactly what she wanted to do.”