Message from Tamara's mother

Danalana wrote: She requested me as a friend on Facebook yesterday, which I was completely not expecting. I guess she saw my comment on a picture somewhere or maybe a comment on Tamara's page. Anyway, we messaged back and forth some. I told her how much we loved her here at PC and missed her. She said to tell you that any of you are welcome to request her as a friend, if you want to keep up with pictures and stuff. In case you don't know her name, it's Carla Atkins-Long. Very sweet lady.
Also, she told me that Blakely is with her father, but she is doing well. He has her in therapy. He told her that Tamara had an "accident" and is in Heaven. Carla said they all get together once a week and are all working together to help Blakely adjust.
I just wanted to pass that along, since I know a lot of us were worried about Blakely.

MoonMama replied: I'm glad everyone it doing as well as they are, they are a strong family. It must be hard being torn away from your brother and sisters though, I hope this is what is best for Blakely, but it sounds like everyone is there and very supportive.

I still feel so sick and heart broken.

Thanks for the message Dana.

Danalana replied: I know, me too. I think Carla said it well when she said her plan was to take with her the good memories of Tamara and continue on with her life...for the LIVING. I know she has been seeing the grandkids a lot, even keeping them for the weekend. She is enjoying the time spent rocking them and I know they are helping her through this.

Nina J replied: Thanks for the update, Dana.

It sounds like they are all doing as best they can. I got tears in my eyes though, reading about Blakely I don't know why, they're all there for her, but it just breaks my heart knowing that everything changed so suddenly for her.

Danalana replied: I know what you mean...her life is turned upside down right now. I'm just glad everyone is working together to help her the best they can.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I'm glad they're doing well, but it makes me sad too that Blakely had to move. I hope it's the right thing... it seems so unfair to her. Every time I hear an update on them it makes me even sadder. I can't imagine how they must all still be feeling.

mummy2girls replied: Yes i got a message from her as well as she added me as a friend as well. She told me the same thing... poor lady. I so feel saddened by all of this:(

bluebear replied: It breaks my heart to know that little girl is apart from her siblings.

amymom replied: Dana, Thanks for the information.

Gosh! It is such a sad thing.

Crystalina replied:
I'm not sure I understand why she was moved. That can't help her at all!
I could not imagine having my kids separated after such a tragedy. She went from being with her siblings to...not? I didn't know this. Wow.
I know how much my kids love each other and I just can't imagine taking THAT away as well.

I'm sure they are doing what they think is best, I will never understand that move though.

cameragirl21 replied:
She was moved because Larry has no legal rights to her. Her bio dad is now her only legal guardian. In the US Court system, the bio parents' rights come before the children's rights unless the bio parents are proven unfit, and even then, the courts don't always make the best decisions.
Unless Blakely's bio dad signed off on his rights and/or allowed Larry to adopt her, it's a given that Blakely will be turned over to her father...there's no court in the US that will care that it's unfair to take her away from her sibs...in the eyes of the court, she belongs to her bio dad.
So I imagine, and I am just guessing here because no one from Tam's family discussed this with me, but I am guessing they turned her over to her dad because if her dad fought them in court, he'd win in a heartbeat and Larry wouldn't have a chance even if he fought to keep her.
This is actually the first thing I thought of when I heard about what happened to Tamara...that Blakely would be taken from her home and that this tragedy would break apart the family.
Btw, I dream about Tamara all the time...she always looks radiant in my dreams and always tells me that she's happy.

CantWait replied: Thanks for passing this along Dana!

Danalana replied: The good thing about all of this is that all the kids (and grandparents and Larry) are getting together every week. I imagine they will keep that up because I'm sure they all know Blakely needs to be with her brother and sisters as often as possible.