MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

Why didn't Caleb Willingham's family attend his memorial? Fans baffle after '1000-lb Sisters' Season 5 finale star's memorial snub

Caleb Willingham's family may not have attended his funeral and memorial services but some of them did penned a heartfelt tribute

DIXON, KENTUCKY: Caleb Willingham, Tammy Slaton's late husband, died on June 30, 2023, and the '1000-lb Sisters' Season 5 finale featured his memorial services. Tammy organized the event, which was attended by her siblings, including Amy Slaton, Chris Combs, Amanda Halterman, and Misty Wentworth.

However, Caleb's own family members were notably absent from the funeral and memorial services. Despite no official statement from them, reports suggest they prefer to avoid the public eye, having also missed Caleb and Tammy's wedding celebration.  In the aftermath, a tweet from someone close to Caleb's aunt hinted that the family was frustrated by media inquiries about his death. Yet, Caleb's home care nurse and close friend, Billy, delivered an emotional tribute during the memorial, recalling his joy at officiating Caleb and Tammy's wedding, just months prior.

He added, "It’s really hard to put into words how to go from one extreme of officiating a wedding and just watching Tammy in the happiest points of her life just to turn around and in less than a year I have to witness her in the most tragic time of her life." However, the viewers left furious and questioned Caleb's family members' absence at his funeral services.

A social media user commented, "Wait, wait, WAIT! Caleb's family didn't show to his funeral?" Another person added, "Caleb’s family didn’t attend anything of significance in the last year of his life. Not the wedding, nor the funeral. Tammy was beyond considerate of them while making arrangements. I’m sure it would have been nice for her to have their support."

"Does Caleb not have any family? Nobody showed up for him?" asked another critic. Another X user wrote, "The saddest thing about Caleb was seeing he didn't have many friends and his own family didn't even bother to show up to the send off / funeral. In the end I'm glad in his end he was able to find friendship and true love with someone."

Another internet user penned, "Hmm Caleb's family couldn't show for the wedding if I remember correctly. Or hardly any of them showed up. Now none of his family is there for this memorial. Did they not like Tammy? Did they do a private thing?" Another viewer tweeted, "Does Caleb's family just not want to be on TV?" Another critic questioned, "Where was Caleb family during this? Not one time have we seen them."

Tammy Slaton cremated Caleb Willingham after consulting his family

Tammy Slaton, devastated by Caleb Willingham's death, organized a memorial to bid her final farewell. Despite Caleb's family's absence, Tammy's loved ones joined her to honor his memory. Tammy's brother, Chris Combs, moved her with a heartfelt poem penned by Caleb. Though the butterfly release didn't go as planned, it culminated in a touching moment, symbolizing Caleb's enduring presence. Tammy and Amy, lighting a lantern in his memory, vowed to embrace the future.

Caleb Willingham's cousin pens a tribute to '1000-lb Sisters' star

Despite their absence at Caleb Willingham's funeral and memorial services, some of his family members expressed their grief in heartfelt tributes. Caleb's cousin, Amber Brandon Clark, shared a touching tribute on Facebook, accompanied by a photo of Caleb.  In her post, she fondly remembered Caleb as her lifelong friend and expressed disbelief over his passing. Amber concluded with a message of love and peace for her cousin. Caleb's friends joined in, offering their condolences in the comments section, and showing support during this difficult time.

You can stream '1000-lb Sisters' Season 5 on TLC.