Tamara Tyasmara Keeps Dante's Beloved Blanket Unwashed to Soothe Her Longing

"Some of the clothes have already been distributed. But the ones he loved the most, I still keep at home. There’s a blanket that he loved, which I still keep. He really liked that baby blanket; I still have it. It’s a blanket that’s meant for sleeping, and I’ve had it since he was little. It still has his scent, I haven’t washed it until now. I just want to keep that scent intact," Tamara said at TPU Jeruk Purut, South Jakarta, Friday (26/12/2025).

Besides the blanket, Tamara also keeps Dante’s room in its original condition. There are no changes in the position of the items or decorations in that room. Tamara is actually diligent about tidying it up so that friends or relatives who visit can still feel Dante's presence while playing there.

"It’s still the same, it’s definitely still being taken care of. Because sometimes friends and relatives still stop by the house. Then we play in Dante’s room. That hasn’t changed at all; in fact, I tidy it up," she explained.

Memories of Dante's enthusiasm leading up to his birthday are still vividly etched in Tamara's mind. Dante was known as a very meticulous child when it came to choosing the shape of his birthday cake. Even though sometimes the cake would not be eaten, Dante felt very happy just by looking at its visual.

"Well, he was extremely enthusiastic every time his birthday approached. He would definitely choose the cake like a month in advance, 'I want this cake, I want this cake.' That's why I always made sure to prepare his cake properly. Because I knew he really loved cakes with cute shapes. Even though he wouldn't eat it, he was just happy to see its shape," Tamara reminisced.

Although it has been the second year without Dante's presence, Tamara admits that healing from grief is not an easy matter.

There are times when she feels strong, but in certain moments like this birthday, the feeling of sadness resurfaces naturally.

"What should I do? The feeling of loss will never go away, right? Grief is really hard to heal. But whether I like it or not, it has to be accepted, it has to be sincere. At first, it was like, 'Oh, it's already the second year, maybe I shouldn't cry anymore,' but I still can't help it," concluded Tamara Tyasmara.