Tammy detailed the moment she learned the news of Caleb Willingham’s death, while Amy said there was “no support” and “no love” in her six-year marriage to Michael Halterman.
1000-Lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton is remembering her late husband nearly six months after his sudden passing.
In an interview with PEOPLE alongside her sister, Amy, the reality star recalled the tragic moment she learned her husband, Caleb Willingham, had died, and how she’s keeping his memory alive.
Tammy married Caleb, whom she met at Windsor Lane Rehabilitation Center in Gibsonburg, Ohio. She described Caleb as the love of her life, adding, “What’s not to love. He really fit in with our family.”
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Caleb passed away seven months after they tied the knot. He died in July at the age of 40. His cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Tammy was informed of the devastating news while at home in Kentucky. Caleb had still been living at the Ohio rehabilitation center.
“I was sitting in the fetal position,” she told PEOPLE. “I got a text message from his friend up there and the text said, ‘Caleb’s not doing good. They’re in there working on him.’ 20 minutes later he texted me back and said he was gone.”
Tammy said she’s “doing fairly well” while mourning her husband’s death, revealing that she made two pieces of jewelry from Caleb’s ashes.
“He’s going to live on now forever because his memory is encapsulated,” the TLC star said, sharing that she created a ring and a music note-shaped necklace with her late husband’s ashes. “Knowing that he’s with me, it’s helping me pass the day. I find myself grabbing my necklace and holding it a lot. When I take off my jewelry, I feel like it’s weird, separation anxiety. I start panicking.”
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“Every time I miss him, I can always look back at the show and watch it and see what made me happy again,” she added.
As she navigates her devasting loss, the 37-year-old shared that she’s “not in any kind of rush right now” to meet anybody new.
Like Tammy, her sister 1000-Lb Sisters co-star, Amy, has also faced struggles this year. The reality star’s husband of six years, Michael Halterman, filed for divorce back in March.
The pair — who eloped in 2017 and had a wedding ceremony in 2019 — share sons Gage, 3, and Glenn, 1. The news of their separation came less than a year after welcomed Glenn.
While speaking with PEOPLE, Amy opened up about her divorce, sharing what led to the dissolution of their marriage.
“There was no support. There was no love. There was no kindness. There was just mental abuse,” she said, admitting that she “just got tired of hiding” their marital issues from others.
However, she revealed that the “nail in the coffin” of their relationship was a fight over buying their baby formula for Glenn.
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“I had spilled Glenn’s formula all over the floor,” Amy told PEOPLE. “I was trying to tell him I needed a new jar. He was like, ‘No, I’m going to go out and get you one.’ I’m like, ‘I need it right now. He wants a bottle, we’re leaving. I can just stop on my way and get him some.’ And all hell broke loose.”
According to Amy, her now-estranged husband refused to return her bank card so she could buy more formula. She said this led to a heated confrontation between herself, Halterman, and Amy’s sisters, revealing that TLC cameras were rolling to capture the moment.
“That’s the day I left,” Amy said. ‘But I was falling out of love with him before that.”
She told PEOPLE that she and Halterman’s communication is limited to matters relating to their children.
“I see him Friday when I drop the boys off and I pick them up Monday,” Amy said. “And that’s as far as it goes. I’ll ask him if he can watch the kids if I have to work or something. But other than that, it’s just a matter of ‘Hey, can you watch the boys on this day, at this time?'”
Meanwhile, Amy recently revealed she’s in a new relationship, posting about her boyfriend, Tony Rodgers, to her Instagram last month.
“Tony supports me in everything I do. He supports the kids, he supports Tammy, he supports my whole family,” she told PEOPLE.
