Latest news with #ShayMartin
Washington Post
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
He broadcast his young cancer journey. His last message: ‘Life was awesome.'
AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Beneath the dusty green of the midsummer mountains, Shay Martin cradled her infant daughter — not quite two months old — and leaned in to kiss the smooth wood of her husband's casket. A joyful constellation of Star Wars stickers — tiny stormtroopers, droids, Princess Leias — placed by family and friends covered the surface. Nearby, a harpist threaded together hymns with music from the film series' beloved score.
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
Late influencer's baby girl pays tribute to him at his funeral
AmyLou Martin, the infant daughter of influencer Tanner Martin, paid tribute to her dad at his funeral over the weekend. The 1-month-old wore a romper made from one of her late father's shirts for the July 5 funeral, according to a photo shared with "Good Morning America" by AmyLou's mother Shay Martin, which was also shared on Instagram. "Baby girl had daddy's shirt turned into a romper so she could wear it for him yesterday," Shay Martin wrote in text overlaid on the photo that obscured her daughter's face. The white shirt-turned-romper featured a black collar and the starbird logo of the Rebel Alliance, a "Star Wars reference" -- fitting, as Tanner Martin was an enthusiastic "Star Wars" fan. In a June 28 Instagram post, the Martin family shared a public invitation and details for Tanner Martin's funeral, which was held in American Fork, Utah. "All who attend the funeral are invited to wear something Star Wars in honor of Tanner -- ties, pins, stickers, our custom Rebels Against Cancer shirts with other formal wear," the invitation read in part. "Tanner also requested for Star Wars stickers to be placed on his casket." Tanner Martin died June 25 at the age of 30, following a nearly five-year battle with colon cancer. He and his wife Shay Martin shared a joint Instagram account and posted openly about Tanner Martin's cancer journey. The couple also opened up on social media about starting in vitro fertilization and shared that they had welcomed AmyLou back on May 15. In an Instagram video shared June 25, Tanner Martin announced his own death in a pre-recorded message, explaining that he had left instructions for his wife to share the video on his behalf after his death. "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, and then also, you can be thoughtful about what your spouse or your partner might need," Tanner Martin said in part in his video message. Shay Martin's father, Steve Wright, told "GMA" previously that he would remember his son-in-law as a "kind" person who would "always look for the good in others." "He made you feel like you're the most important person in the room," Wright said at the time.
Indian Express
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
YouTuber Tanner Martin announces his own death before passing away: ‘If you're watching this, I am dead'
Tanner Martin, a Utah-based YouTuber, recently passed away at 30. The news of his demise was shared in a pre-recorded farewell video, posted on Wednesday by his wife, Shay Martin, on Instagram. In the video, Tanner announced his own death due to his long battle with colon cancer. 'Hey, it's me, Tanner. If you are watching this, I am dead,' he said in the emotional video. He shared that he recorded the message before his final moments so his wife wouldn't have to bear the burden of announcing his passing while grieving. Tanner and Shay gained over five lakh followers over the years, with Tanner sharing his cancer journey. Reflecting on his life, he said with a smile, 'I had a heck of a life. Life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here.' His demise came just weeks after the birth of his daughter, AmyLou. Expressing his love for his family, he urged his followers to pray for his little daughter. 'Please pray for Wright and our little baby girl,' he said. He also shared his beliefs on afterlife. 'I'm excited to see them not in pain and just happy. Death is scary, but it's also like a new adventure, you know… hopefully it's good,' he said. Sharing the video, Shay wrote, 'May the force be with you from our angel force ghost. see the next video for his wish.' Watch here: A post shared by Shay Martin (@tannerandshay) In another pre-recorded video, Tanner revealed that he did not have life insurance. As his final wish, he requested his followers to support his family by contributing to a GoFundMe campaign set up for his wife and daughter. 'If you feel like helping out, it would mean the world to us,' he said. A post shared by Shay Martin (@tannerandshay) Several social media users extended condolences, with one saying, 'He is seriously so special. Even at the end his positivity and good attitude just radiate.' Another user commented, 'A man who, even in his final moments, wasn't thinking of himself—but only of his wife and daughter. That kind of selfless love is the mark of a truly beautiful soul.'
Khaleej Times
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
‘If you're watching this, I'm dead': Influencer Tanner Martin announces his death at 30
'Hey, it's me, Tanner. If you're watching this, I am dead.' For the past several years, Tanner Martin documented his colon cancer diagnosis for hundreds of thousands of followers. That included rounds of chemo and radiation and half a dozen major surgeries, as well as a visit to his future gravesite. It also included more joyful moments, like a vow renewal ceremony in Ireland with his wife, Shay Martin, and other trips abroad. Just last month, it included the arrival of their first child, AmyLou, after the in vitro fertilisation experience they chronicled. But on June 25, Shay Martin, Tanner's wife, posted one final video on behalf of her husband, who had recorded the message to be posted when he died. He was 30. The five-minute video has been viewed more than eight million times on TikTok, and over three million times on Instagram. Watch the video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shay Martin (@tannerandshay) Tanner was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in November 2020. In February 2023, he learned that the cancer was terminal. And in April of that year, the couple began posting on TikTok about his treatments, their grief and preparations for Tanner's eventual death. The Washington Post visited the family as they were preparing for their daughter's birth. Tanner died at home in American Fork, Utah, on Wednesday surrounded by family, Shay said. Her husband recorded the goodbye video in March. 'I had a heck of a life,' Tanner says in the video, adding that recording a message before his death was 'a good opportunity to get all your thoughts out.' He added that it might give his wife the space to grieve. The couple posted less than a week ago that he had entered hospice care. Who was Tanner Martin? Tanner Martin was born on December 22, 1994, in Salt Lake City before moving to China and Taiwan for a few years with his parents, Kimberly Watts and Tom Martin, who taught English. The family eventually settled in Draper, Utah. When he was 18, Tanner served in a mission in Arizona for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That's where he met Shay, whose father, Steve Wright, was a bishop in the church. Two stayed in touch on Facebook and eventually reconnected back in Utah. They married in 2018. Tanner was pursuing a master's degree to become a marriage and family therapist when he was diagnosed with cancer. Shay first started sharing updates on social media as a way to keep family up to date onTanner's treatment. But they quickly discovered a network of cancer fighters and caregivers. 'Death is like a new adventure' 'Being my age, none of my friends were going through anything similar,' Shay said in an interview on June 26 as she took a break from feeding AmyLou. 'It was really nice to met people in similar situations that we could connect with.' The couple wanted to be open about their experiences, 'the good, the bad, the ugly, the hard and the beautiful,' she said. 'It's been both beauty and really hard.' In the video, Tanner asks his followers to continue to support his wife and their daughter with donations and gift cards. 'I'm going to guess Jiaozi will probably like milk,' he says with a laugh, using a nickname for AmyLou, before holding his head in his hand. She earned the nickname Jiaozi, which means dumpling in Mandarin, at the couple's first ultrasound when Tanner dotingly noted the resemblance. 'Life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,' Tanner says. '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.' He left with a few words of advice: Be kind to one another and assume good intent from others. 'Death is scary, but it's also like a new adventure, you know,' he says. 'I'm excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it's good.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
30-year-old influencer announces his own death after yearslong cancer battle
A 30-year-old influencer who documented his cancer journey online has announced his own death in a social media video. Tanner Martin made the announcement in a video shared on his @tannerandshay Instagram account, which he shared with his wife Shay Martin. "Hey, it's me, Tanner. If you're watching this, I am dead," Tanner Martin says in a video message posted Wednesday on his @tannerandshay Instagram account, which he shared with his wife Shay Martin. "Everyone, I had a heck of a life," he continues. "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, and then also, you can be thoughtful about what your spouse or your partner might need." TikToker Bella Bradford announces her own death in final video after battling cancer Tanner Martin, who welcomed his first child with his wife in May, shared in a November 2020 Instagram video post that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer, a type of colorectal cancer, at the age of 25. Colorectal cancer in young people has been on the rise in recent years. A 2024 report from the American Cancer Society noted that colon cancer has become the leading cause of death in men under 50, and the No. 2 cause of death in women in the same age group. Shay Martin's father, Steve Wright, told "Good Morning America" his son-in-law died the morning of June 25 at home, in the basement apartment the couple rented inside his and his wife's Utah home, and said Tanner Martin's decision to share his own death announcement didn't surprise him at all. "Tanner is, he's just the funniest guy. Whenever he would go on in their posts, he'd always go, 'Hi! It's me, Tanner.' Even when he was super sick, he wanted to just be very real," Wright said. "I hadn't seen [his video] until he went on hospice and then Shay showed it to me, and I just cracked up. I'm like, that's typical of Tanner." Wright also remembered Tanner Martin as a "kind" person who would "always look for the good in others." "He made you feel like you're the most important person in the room," Wright recalled. "He had this amazing laugh and smile and just would joke and just really make people feel like they were important. And that's just the way he was, even through ... the cancer treatments and surgeries and tests and infusions and everything, he was always very gracious with the doctors and the nurses and the aides and everybody that helped him." The Martins shared photos and updates through the years about Tanner Martin undergoing multiple chemotherapy treatments, finishing treatment and even ringing the celebratory bell in June 2021. In a November 2021 update, the couple announced that Tanner Martin's cancer had returned, and in a February 2023 post, they said doctors had told them his cancer was terminal. Husband speaks out after late wife's goodbye video goes viral In addition to sharing Tanner Martin's cancer journey, the couple also opened up on social media about starting in vitro fertilization and announced they had welcomed a daughter named AmyLou on May 15. In his final message, Tanner Martin thanked online followers who showed their support for him and his family and asked for prayers for Shay Martin and their child. "But I love you guys, and seriously, thanks again for all your support and helping to make the last years of my life here on earth fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable. I love you guys," he says in the video, adding, "Be kind to each other, assume good intent in other people, and you guys will just have a happy life. And anyway, I love you. See ya."
