US3 min(s) read
Influencer Shay Martin has announced that she has remarried, one year after the death of her husband, Tanner Martin, who documented his battle with stage 4 colon cancer online, touching millions of people.
The young mom shared the emotional news in an Instagram video, revealing that she has found love again while continuing to honor the memory of Tanner, who died in June 2025 at the age of 30, just weeks after the couple welcomed their daughter, AmyLou.
Addressing followers who have supported the influencer family throughout Tanner's cancer journey, Martin reflected on the dramatic changes in her life over the past year.
She began the video by saying: "I've seen a lot of questions asking how AmyLou and I are doing and where we are in life.”
Then, Marin revealed that shortly after becoming a mother and losing her husband, she had moved back to Arizona and 'found love again.'
In a statement made to People, Martin said she wanted people to hear directly from her about the conversations she and Tanner had before his death regarding her future and that of their daughter.
She told the magazine: “I’m grateful for all of the people who have followed our story and who genuinely care about AmyLou and I.
"I also understand that people have questions and are curious about where life has taken us.
"That’s one of the reasons I decided to share the reel on Instagram.”
Martin explained that Tanner's greatest wish was for her to eventually find someone who would love AmyLou as his own while respecting the life the couple had built together.
Shay said she believes she has found that person, describing her new husband as someone who has never asked her to leave Tanner's memory behind and who instead honors his legacy within their family.
Martin also emphasized that finding happiness again does not diminish the love she still has for her late husband.
Explaining that Tanner will always be AmyLou's father and remain an important part of their family's story, Martin said: "Love does not erase love".
She also encouraged people to remember Tanner's advice to 'be kind and assume good intent.'
The influencer also spoke candidly about grief, saying she once believed she would never remarry after watching Tanner's health decline during his five-year battle with cancer.
Over time, however, she came to realize that 'there is enough love to give' while acknowledging that she will 'never graduate from grief.'
Tanner and Shay built a large online following by documenting his experience after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 25.
The couple continued sharing updates throughout his treatment, including the announcement of Shay's pregnancy before Tanner's death was confirmed in a pre-recorded farewell video.
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health4 min(s) read
health3 min(s) read
The widow of popular influencer Tanner Martin is sharing new insight into her late husband’s health battle, months after he recorded a now-viral video announcing his own death at age 30. Tanner, who documented his cancer journey online, passed away in June at home in Utah, surrounded by family.
In his final message, posted to the couple’s shared Instagram account, Tanner spoke directly to the camera, saying: “Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead.” The video, which he recorded in advance, was his way of offering clarity, comfort and gratitude to the many people who followed his journey.
Tanner was first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2020 at just 25 years old, sharing updates with followers as he underwent multiple rounds of treatment, surgeries and chemotherapy. Despite moments of remission, the cancer returned in 2021 and later became terminal. He and his wife, Shay, also documented their IVF journey and celebrated the birth of their daughter, AmyLou, in May.
Shay’s father, Steve Wright, described Tanner as someone who remained kindhearted and humorous throughout his illness. “He made you feel like you’re the most important person in the room,” Wright told Good Morning America. “Even when he was super sick, he wanted to just be very real.”
During a recent appearance on The Unplanned Podcast, Shay spoke publicly for the first time about the earliest signs something was wrong. She said the symptoms emerged before his diagnosis, at an age when neither of them imagined cancer could be a possibility.
She explained that Tanner began dealing with persistent bowel and stomach issues – problems they initially assumed were minor or stress-related. She added that he also started struggling with discomfort when sitting for long periods of time, something that later made sense once doctors identified the tumor.
Tanner’s experience reflects a growing trend: colorectal cancer rates are increasing in younger adults. A 2024 American Cancer Society report found that colon cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death among men under 50 and the second leading cause among women in the same age group.
In his prerecorded farewell, Tanner thanked supporters for helping make his final years “fun and enjoyable” despite the hardships of treatment. He ended with a message encouraging kindness and empathy: “Be kind to each other, assume good intent in other people, and you guys will just have a happy life.”
Shay continues to honor her husband’s legacy online, sharing his story in hopes of raising awareness about early symptoms and encouraging others to advocate for their health.
Popular influencer Tanner Martin has sadly passed away at the age of 30, with the announcement made in a powerful pre-recorded video shared on Instagram by his wife, Shay Wright.
In a heartfelt and emotional message filmed before his passing, Martin personally broke the news of his death just 41 days after welcoming his first child, daughter AmyLou.
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead," he said. Despite the gravity of his words, he lightened the moment with a laugh.
“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,” he shared.
Though smiling, Martin’s voice was noticeably weak as he spoke candidly about how his wife would continue on without him, now also caring for their newborn daughter.
“But you guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he continued. “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.”
He reflected on those he hoped to reunite with in the afterlife, saying: “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.”
The content creator had documented his difficult journey on social media after he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer five years earlier.
Even as he faced his final moments, Martin remained surprisingly optimistic. “I don’t know. I’m like, death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know. I’m excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it’s good," he said.
He concluded his video by thanking his followers 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".
Shay’s caption on the video read: “May the force be with you from our angel force ghost. See the next video for his wish.”
A second video, also shared by Shay on Wednesday (June 25), showed a more physically diminished Martin sitting on a sofa under a thick blanket. His voice was faint, and his baby daughter AmyLou rested beside him on a pink pillow.
The influencer acknowledged the heartbreak of knowing his baby girl would likely have no memory of him due to her young age.
He asked his fans to support Shay and AmyLou by donating to a GoFundMe account established for them. As of the time of writing, $450,399 has been raised.
"Your support - whether it's $1, $5, $50, or more - goes directly to helping Tanner’s two greatest loves, Shay and AmyLou, move forward with hope and security," the campaign description read. "For less than the price of a hot and spicy McChicken (Tanner’s words…LOL), you can give them a future Tanner only wished he could stay to provide."
The couple had welcomed AmyLou on May 15, sharing the milestone on social media with photos of each parent cradling their newborn.
Back in 2020, Martin first began noticing symptoms, initially dismissing them as stomach aches. As the pain intensified and bowel issues developed, he sought medical advice. A colonoscopy revealed stage 4 colorectal cancer, which had already spread to his liver.
By 2023, doctors told Martin that his cancer was incurable, estimating he had two to five years left to live.
Our thoughts are with the late influencer's loved ones and followers at this time.
Influencer Tanner Martin has shared a video of his "last wish" before his death.
The 30-year-old sadly passed away five years after being diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.
The heartbreaking announcement came in a poignant pre-recorded video shared on Instagram by his wife, Shay Wright, on Wednesday (June 26).
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead,” he started the video. “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."
Though his voice was raspy and his appearance frail, Martin’s sense of humor and positivity remained strong.
“But you guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he continued. “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.”
“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 added. “I don’t know. I’m like, death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know. I’m excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it’s good.”
He concluded the clip by expressing gratitude to his fans 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".
Following the farewell message, Shay shared a second video featuring Tanner's "last wish" - a request for help supporting his wife and their infant daughter, AmyLou, lovingly nicknamed Jiaozi.
“The GoFundMe is to help replace what I would be there for,” Tanner said while seated next to his baby daughter. “It will help replace my income. It will help pay for babysitting. It will help for her school, for her wedding. All of these things that normally Shay and I would do together.”
As of this writing, the GoFundMe campaign has raised over $515,000 (as of this writing). Support for Shay and AmyLou has flooded in through both donations and heartfelt comments.
"Shay and AmyLou have an army of internet aunties and uncles ready to support them in any way. We love you Tanner, rest easy," one user wrote.
"Rest well now, Tanner. We will continue to support Shay and your daughter in any way we can," another said, while a fellow father added: "The resilience and strength you've embodied while you faced this end is inspiring and humbling."
"Dad to Dad, you did your absolute best to provide for your daughter and wife in your absence. Rest in peace, prayers to the whole family as you navigate life without Tanner," they penned.
Our thoughts continue to be with Martin's loved ones at this time.
Influencer Tanner Martin warned his followers about two important signs of colon cancer before he tragically passed away last year.
Martin's death was revealed in a heartbreaking pre-recorded video shared on Instagram by his wife, Shay Wright, on June 25, 2025.
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead,” he began the clip, which was posted almost an entire year ago.
“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.
“But you guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he continued. “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 shared that he was "excited" to see a lot of people in the afterlife, adding: “I don’t know. I’m like, death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know. I’m excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it’s good.”
He concluded the video by expressing his gratitude to his followers for their support, saying: “Thank you for the support and helping to make the last years of my life here on earth like fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable.”
The social media star revealed that he first began experiencing symptoms in 2020, initially dismissing them as simple stomach aches.
As his condition deteriorated, a colonoscopy eventually revealed the cancer had already advanced to stage 4 and spread to his liver.
In 2023, doctors informed him that the cancer was incurable and gave him an estimated two to five years to live.
Just weeks before his death, the late influencer posted a video on TikTok warning others about the signs of colon cancer that preceded his diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer when I was 25 years old, and the symptoms that I saw in that period of time included blood in the stool,” Martin said in the video. “And when I say blood, it wasn’t like a little blood, it was changing the colour of the water.”
He went on to describe the blood as “dark” and looking like “coffee ground,” pointing to potential internal bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. He also mentioned experiencing lower back pain and rapid fluctuations in weight.
“But the biggest sign was the bleeding and the frequency, cause I was going to the bathroom a lot, and sometimes it was just blood and blood clots,” he continued. “But when I told my doctors about it, he tried treating my symptoms for a couple of months, and then we finally got a colonoscopy, which is where they found the cancer that had spread to my liver, making it stage four.”
He ended the TikTok with a heartfelt plea: if you have the same symptoms or a family history of cancer, see a doctor.
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Before his tragic passing, Martin and his wife, Shay, welcomed their daughter AmyLou on May 15, 2025.
The late man set up a GoFundMe so that his family would be supported after his death.
“Your support - whether it’s $1, $5, $50, or more - goes directly to helping Tanner’s two greatest loves, Shay and AmyLou, move forward with hope and security,” the campaign description read.
“For less than the price of a hot and spicy McChicken (Tanner’s words…LOL), you can give them a future Tanner only wished he could stay to provide,” it added.
Influencer Tanner Martin issued a warning about two key signs of colon cancer shortly before announcing his death in a heartbreaking video in June 2025.
The devastating announcement came in a poignant pre-recorded video shared on Instagram by his wife, Shay Wright.
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead,” he started the video, smiling gently as he addressed the camera.
“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," he added.
Though his voice was raspy and his appearance frail, Martin’s sense of humor and positivity remained strong. “But you guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he continued. “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.
“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 added. “I don’t know. I’m like, death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know. I’m excited to see what the experience is like, and hopefully it’s good.”
He closed the video by thanking his fans for their support, saying: “Thank you for the support and helping to make the last years of my life here on earth like fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable.”
Just weeks before his death, the late influencer posted a video on TikTok warning others about the signs of colon cancer that preceded his diagnosis.
“I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer when I was 25 years old, and the symptoms that I saw in that period of time included blood in the stool,” he shared. “And when I say blood, it wasn’t like a little blood, it was changing the colour of the water.”
Martin went on to describe the blood as “dark” and looking like “coffee grounds,” pointing to potential internal bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. He also mentioned experiencing lower back pain and rapid fluctuations in weight.
“But the biggest sign was the bleeding and the frequency, cause I was going to the bathroom a lot, and sometimes it was just blood and blood clots,” he said. “But when I told my doctors about it, he tried treating my symptoms for a couple of months, and then we finally got a colonoscopy, which is where they found the cancer that had spread to my liver, making it stage four.”
He concluded the video with a heartfelt plea: if you have the same symptoms or a family history of cancer, see a doctor.
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Martin first began experiencing symptoms in 2020, initially dismissing them as simple stomach aches. As his condition worsened, a colonoscopy eventually revealed the cancer had already advanced to stage 4 and spread to his liver.
In 2023, doctors informed him that the cancer was incurable and gave him an estimated two to five years to live.
Despite the grim prognosis, he remained publicly upbeat, especially about becoming a father. He and Shay welcomed AmyLou on May 15 and shared the milestone with touching photos of each parent holding their newborn.
A second video shared by Shay on the day of her husband's death showed a visibly weaker Martin, wrapped in a blanket and sitting on a sofa, with AmyLou sleeping beside him on a pink pillow.
His voice barely audible, he spoke of the pain of knowing his daughter would likely grow up without memories of him.
In the video, Martin asked fans to support Shay and AmyLou through a GoFundMe campaign.
“Your support - whether it’s $1, $5, $50, or more - goes directly to helping Tanner’s two greatest loves, Shay and AmyLou, move forward with hope and security,” the campaign description read.
“For less than the price of a hot and spicy McChicken (Tanner’s words…LOL), you can give them a future Tanner only wished he could stay to provide,” it added.
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