“1000-Lb. Sisters' ”Tammy Slaton Wears Necklace Containing Late Husband’s Ashes, Gets 'Separation Anxiety' Without It
The reality star said she’ll “panic and freak out” if she goes without wearing the necklace and ring containing the ashes of late husband Caleb Willingham
Tammy Slaton is keeping a part of her late husband Caleb Willingham with her at all times.
The 1000-Lb. Sisters star recently posted a series of TikTok videos revealing all the ways she honors Willingham, who died this summer at age 40. In one clip, the 37-year-old tells her followers that she wears her late husband’s wedding ring alongside her own.
Additionally, Slaton had two pieces of jewelry created out of Willingham’s ashes: a ring and a music note-shaped necklace.
“My necklace is actually Caleb’s ashes,” she shared. “Me and my husband actually really enjoyed music of all kinds so a music note, I thought it would be fitting.”
“This ring is his fingerprint made out of ashes and inside it says Caleb,” she added. “And it’s textured, it’s really cool. I can feel his fingerprint.”
In another clip, Slaton admitted that since getting the necklace and ring made, she has separation anxiety whenever she’s not wearing them, asking her followers if they can relate.
“For those of you that have a necklace or a ring made out of ashes and you wear it, do you get separation anxiety, like, you panic and freak out a little bit because they’re not on? Because I was doing that for a long time,” she said.
“Now, I can tolerate it for a little bit. I haven’t tried to do it longer than an hour. I’m afraid to,” she explained. “But I was just wondering if it was just a weird thing that I’m doing. But it’s making me happy keeping it on so… I don’t know.”
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Last week, Slaton also posted a heartfelt tribute for Willingham on TikTok, reflecting on the time she spent with him. She included a photo of his urn, which had an image of a sunset. It was placed on a table in her home alongside their wedding photo.
“The sunset was our thing,” she wrote. “We would sit outside all afternoon until the sunset in this picture on Caleb’s urn.”
The reality star paired the post with the acoustic version of SLANDER and Dylan Matthew’s song “Love Is Gone.” She also shared a photo of a butterfly they released at his memorial service.
“Even though I’m not in love with him, I will always love him and I miss him every day,” Slaton wrote. “Things will get better.”
In late July, Slaton was surrounded by her loved ones as she attended the memorial service for Willingham in Ohio. The couple were reportedly estranged at the time of his death. However, as Slaton told PEOPLE exclusively at the time, "He was my best friend and I loved him dearly.”
"When I met Caleb he became my guardian angel and now he really is watching over me. Our families appreciate everyone’s sympathy and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”
Slaton and Willingham met at Windsor Lane Rehabilitation Center in Gibsonburg, Ohio, in 2022. The reality star was there to lose weight before bariatric surgery, while Willingham was being treated for obesity.
He proposed in October, and in November, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that the couple had married. Their wedding — and Slaton’s family’s reaction to their short engagement — was documented on 1000-Lb. Sisters.
“When you love somebody, you don’t let anything get in the way,” Willingham said at the time.
After news broke of Willingham’s death, TLC released a statement, saying, "We are deeply saddened to learn of Caleb Willingham’s passing. Our condolences go out to Tammy, his family and friends at this difficult time.”
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