It's a bit hard to tell, but in the second photo the cane doesn't look smooth anymore. Does it appear wrinkly to you?

Yes slightly wrinkly. And sorry here is a slightly better picture. I also put some turmeric over the dirt and sprayed it lightly with neem oil

If the stem is wrinkly, it means it's dessicated (dried out). Your rose may be in some pretty dire straits if it's drying out by the stem.

Am I to water it more? the dirt is constantly moist

I don't know if it's salvageable but I am definitely not a cuttings expert so I REALLY hope someone else sees this and responds for you!

I am sorry, but it looks like this cutting will not make it. This has happened to me too. After 4 months I would have thought it would make it too, but sometimes it happens anyway.

Sadly, it didn't need transplanting and should have been left in peace. Top growth on a rose cutting does not necessarily indicate that it has grown good roots. All you can do now is keep it watered, leave it alone over winter and cross your fingers.

I would put a clear plastic bag over the whole thing to keep as much humidity around the cane as possible. Even spritz it with water from a spray bottle to moisten it before putting the bag on. It seems like a lot of cuttings fail for me if I try and water the bottom to get enough moisture to the top, but the roots aren't developed enough to get the water up, so the bottom ends up rotting.

I had covered it, and there is what looks like white fungus on the 2nd dead leaf branch that I cut off. The bottom is turning black, is there something I can do for root

rot? I had not been watering it often at all as the dirt is moist..

I think that's the death knell, honestly. Sorry 😕

How could this happen, fungus attack? or the dirt was moist for too long? god I kind of want to keel over right now...

Probably the soil was too wet, yes. I'm sorry that you lost a plant that was important to you. Do you want to talk about why it was meaningful?

“How could this happen, fungus attack?”

Imo it happened because you dug it up and moved it before it was properly rooted. The original pot was plenty big enough and there was no need to transplant it. Any fungus arrived subsequent to, and because of, the disturbance. You might be able to get a new start if you recut the stem. But put it into to perspective. No need to keel over. You might have lost a flower bought at commercial florist shop. But you still have a sister you love and, presumably, she’s still happily married. I tried to dry DD’s bouquet. Didn’t work. Neither she nor I are much bothered. She has a lovely husband and I have a happy daughter. Not having a memento doesn't alter that.