View gallery
Tammy Slaton skilled tragedy when her husband, Caleb Willingham, died on the age of 40 in June 2023. The couple met at a weight reduction rehab heart, and their relationship has been documented on the TLC collection 1000-Lb. Sisters.
Caleb has been featured within the newest season of the present, which premiered on TLC in December 2023. In the December 26 episode, Caleb scheduled a gathering with Dr. Smith, Tammy’s physician. “It’s been 2 weeks since Tammy left rehab, and I can’t tell you how much I miss my wife,” Caleb mentioned. “Of course, me being the emotional eater that I am, my diet has gone to hell.”
At his weigh-in, Caleb weighed 537 kilos. Dr. Smith instructed Caleb that he didn’t need to do the burden loss surgical procedure till Caleb obtained right down to 500 kilos. However, Dr. Smith warned Caleb that he must return to rehab after the surgical procedure.
During the January 9 episode, Tammy traveled to see Caleb in rehab for the primary time in 2 months. When he stepped on the dimensions once more, Caleb weighed 524.6 kilos. “I’m conflicted,” Caleb mentioned. “On one hand, I’ve lost 12.5 pounds, but in my head and in my heart, I know that I should be below 500. It’s all lack of discipline on my part.”
Tammy was involved about her husband, and he or she was disenchanted when she noticed snacks in his room. “I don’t wanna be the reason for stress and burdens,” Caleb instructed Tammy. “I wanna be the reason that things help get fixed and easier for you. And I haven’t done that. And I feel like sh*t for it. It’s easier to jump in and just eat a bunch of junk than to talk to you.”
Later, Caleb vowed to “fight” so he may come house to Tammy. “It’s not all about the snacks,” Tammy mentioned. “Food addiction is deadly, and I need you to understand that this is serious. It’s life or death.”
Tammy’s go to continued within the January 16 episode, and he or she was “determined” to get Caleb again heading in the right direction. She had Caleb throw away his unhealthy snacks. “I can’t afford to go backwards,” Caleb mentioned. “There’s more to life than food. I have my wife who loves me, and she’s proven that time and time again. So now it’s time to show her the same respect.”
Before Tammy left, Caleb performed a romantic date evening. But all of the meals he obtained for them was fried, which left Tammy “perturbed.” He picked what “used to be her favorites” for his or her date. “After what we went through, you got food we’re really not supposed to be eating,” Tammy instructed him.
She added in a confessional, “I’m not just upset that Caleb isn’t making healthy choices. He was just in the hospital, and clearly the food addiction is worse than I thought it was.” Caleb knew that Tammy was disenchanted. “After this dinner, I feel torn apart,” he mentioned. “I let her down. I made a bad decision. There was no moderation in this meal. I need to fix things, not make them worse.”
Later, Caleb instructed Tammy that dropping 25 kilos shouldn’t be that onerous for him. “Prove it,” Tammy mentioned. Caleb cried when Tammy left the rehab heart. “I feel like you’re running away forever,” he mentioned.
In the following episode, Caleb despatched Tammy a candy care bundle. Tammy admitted that it was “nice” that Caleb was attempting to indicate his love “even from a distance.” Caleb confessed that he missed Tammy a lot. Despite texts and FaceTime calls, it’s not sufficient for him. “At the end of the day, you always want more,” he mentioned.
Tammy requested about him getting on the dimensions once more, however Caleb was hesitant. She mentioned she’s “disappointed” in him and bummed that he can’t go on trip together with her to Florida. Caleb promised that he would work “hard” to get the burden loss surgical procedure and get again on observe. “I’m gonna bust my ass to see you again,” Caleb instructed Tammy. Keep studying to find out about Caleb, his relationship with Tammy, and his tragic loss of life.
What Happened to Caleb Willingham?
Caleb died from unknown causes on June 30, 2023. Tammy confirmed her husband’s passing in a heartbreaking assertion to PEOPLE.
“I am devastated to share the news of my husband’s passing,” the truth star mentioned on July 1. “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.”
TLC additionally addressed Caleb’s loss of life in a press release. “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,” the community mentioned.
Tammy Shared How She Found Out About His Death
Tammy recalled the second she realized about Caleb’s loss of life in an interview with 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,” she mentioned.
Since his passing, Tammy revealed that he had his ashes made into jewellery, and he or she feels nearer to him by carrying it. “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,” she instructed the outlet.
What Was Caleb Willingham’s Job?
It’s unclear what Caleb did for work. Before the fifth season, he appeared on just one episode of 1000-Lb Sisters. The episode aired in March 2023 and documented his and Tammy’s marriage ceremony that passed off in November 2022.
How Long Were Caleb Willingham and Tammy Slaton Married?
After assembly on the Windsor Lane Rehabilitation Center in 2022, Tammy and Caleb obtained engaged in October and have been married by November. They mentioned “I do” on the identical rehab heart in Gibsonburg, Ohio the place they met.
“When I saw Caleb at the altar, I was just picturing doves and butterflies all around like God had opened up the clouds and let the sunlight in,” Tammy instructed People on the time. “It was magical. Our wedding day was perfect, there was so much love in the room. I literally married my best friend.”
After 5 months of marriage, The Sun reported that Tammy was within the means of submitting for divorce from Caleb. Allegedly, the couple broke up due to Caleb’s weight acquire, whereas Tammy was making progress in shedding weight. “He has gained 30 lbs and hasn’t been working his program,” a supply near Tammy instructed The Sun. “They got into a big fight over it and he told her he wanted a divorce, but then he tried to backtrack.”
It’s unclear if Tammy and Caleb have been formally damaged up on the time of his loss of life.
In the season 5 premiere, Caleb opened up about how he wasn’t but prepared to depart the ability, and he admitted to being afraid of shedding Tammy. “The last time I’m going to see Tammy in this room. The last time I hold my wife’s hand, that I’ll kiss her. In my head, all that I keep saying is, ‘Tammy’s gonna leave you. Tammy doesn’t think that you’re enough,’” he mentioned.
At one level, Tammy spoke about how she didn’t need to depart with out Caleb within the season premiere. “I can’t imagine walking out of this place without my husband,” she mentioned. “I let the world pass me by, biggest part of my life, because of my weight. It’s just I’m not mentally prepared to leave you.”
In the December 26 episode, Caleb was heartbroken that he had gained weight within the 2 weeks after Tammy had left rehab. “We’ve got plans. We want a family. We want to travel. It’s kinda hard to do that when you’re a few hundred miles away,” Caleb mentioned about his relationship.
Caleb instructed Tammy the unlucky information about his assembly with Dr. Smith in a FaceTime name. “It sucks. I was hoping Dr. Smith told Caleb he’s lost enough weight to have surgery and get his trach removed,” Tammy mentioned. “It bothers me that he’s backsliding, but Caleb’s very sensitive, so I feel like I can’t say anything. It’s just, I feel like I have to be strong for him.”
Tammy started to cry as she considered Caleb. She added, “I am worried about Caleb. I think he’ll let depression set in before he hits rock bottom again and gets determined to come home. I feel guilty, sad. I’m numb. I don’t know how to feel… Overwhelmed, stressed out, just everything.”