Influencer Tanner Martin has died following a five-year battle with terminal cancer. He was 30 years old.
Martin had recently become a first-time father and welcomed a daughter with wife Shay Wright in May. At the age of 25, he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in November 2020. He and Wright began sharing his health updates on social media.
Prior to his death, Martin recorded a video, which was posted via Instagram on Wednesday, June 25.
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner, if you’re watching this, I am dead,” he said, adding, “I had a heck of a life. I decided to make this video announcing my death because I saw someone did that, like, a year or so ago, and I think it’s a good opportunity to get all your thoughts out.”
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He added that “life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here. Hopefully, I believe there’s something after this. I’m excited to meet those people, and hopefully we’re hanging out now and making fun of all you nerds.”
Martin mentioned his family members who have died, and said, “There’s just a lot of people that for the afterlife, I’m excited to see them, and excited to see them not in pain and just happy.”
He reflected on his journey into the unknown, adding, “I don’t know, I’m like, death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know. And I’m kind of excited for it, a little bit. … I’m excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it’s good.”
Martin said he loved his fans and thanked them for their “support and helping to make the last years of my life here on earth, like, fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable.”
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Following his farewell message, Wright shared a subsequent post in which Martin, making his “last wish,” directed followers to the family’s GoFundMe page.
In November 2024, he and his wife announced that they were expecting a baby.
“It’s interesting because usually when people get pregnant they only have excitement for the future. While we are definitely excited, we are also experiencing grief, fear and anxiety,” Wright told People in an interview at the time.
She called her pregnancy “a massive decision for us that took a couple years to decide. As I’m a mental health therapist, I’m very aware of the research of child development. But also aware of how to combat possible negative effects. But either way, it’s going to be hard.”
The couple announced their daughter’s birth via their joint Instagram account on May 15. In a photo, they held the baby in a hospital bed.
Several days prior to the little one’s arrival, Martin took to Instagram to share that chemo had made his voice “really hoarse, so I sound like a different me. But I’m doing OK. Just tired.”
He then showed off tiny slippers, saying, “Guess what’s happening. Guess who arrives in six days.”
