Man Diagnosed With Colon Cancer At 25 Leaves Final Message Before Passing At 30
Tanner Martin, a 30-year-old husband, new father, and well-known presence on social media, has died after a long and publicly shared battle with colon cancer. Diagnosed at just 25, he chose to face his illness head-on—and with the world watching.
Over the past five years, he and his wife, Shay Wright, built an online community grounded in honesty, vulnerability, and hope, chronicling everything from the toughest chemo days to the joy of expecting their first child.
His death comes just 41 days after welcoming a baby daughter. It’s a heartbreaking contrast - life beginning and ending within weeks of each other. But Tanner didn’t shy away from those kinds of moments. He planned for them.
On June 25, Shay posted a video Tanner had recorded ahead of time. Sitting in front of the camera, calm and composed, he opened with a direct, almost jarring line:
“Hey, it's me, Tanner. If you're watching this, I am dead.” His tone was familiar to anyone who followed him - light, even cheeky, but completely sincere.
“I had a heck of a life,” he said, smiling. “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 said the idea was also meant to make things a little easier for Shay, so she wouldn’t have to deliver the news alone.
Tanner embraced the end with gratitude, calling life “awesome” and thanking those who supported him.
Tanner didn’t dwell on sorrow. Instead, he reflected on the good.
“Life was awesome,” he said. “I really enjoyed it while I was here.”He mentioned the people he was hoping to reunite with, loved ones who had passed before him, and admitted he was curious, even a little excited, about whatever might come next.
“Death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know?”He took time to thank the people who had supported him, friends, family, and thousands of strangers who followed his journey online.
Instagram“May the force be with you.”
The video ended with a nod to one of his favorite franchises: “May the force be with you from our angel force ghost 🤍.” Shay added a caption inviting people to watch a second clip, where Tanner shared his final wish, to raise donations that would help Shay and their daughter in the years to come.
In the weeks leading up to his death, Tanner was still posting updates. Just days before his daughter was born, he uploaded a video sharing how chemo had left his voice hoarse. Still, he was in good spirits. “Guess who arrives in six days?” he said, grinning as he held up a pair of tiny baby slippers.
That joy was real. When their daughter arrived on May 15, the couple posted a picture of themselves in the hospital, cradling the newborn. “She’s here,” the caption read. It was one of those moments where love and heartbreak somehow manage to share space.
GettyIn November 2024, Tanner and Shay shared their IVF joy as he revealed his incurable cancer and a 2 to 5-year prognosis.
Back in November 2024, shortly after announcing their pregnancy, Tanner and Shay spoke about the mix of emotions they were feeling. They had gone through IVF and were thrilled to be expecting, but the excitement came with its weight - grief, anxiety, and uncertainty.
That same month, Tanner revealed that his cancer was no longer curable. Doctors gave him a life expectancy of two to five years. He got about a year and a half.
InstagramStill, in that time, Tanner lived in a way that few people manage. He faced his diagnosis with honesty, chose to become a father despite the risks, and made space for laughter and gratitude even in his final message.
He wasn’t trying to be brave or inspiring; he was just being himself. And now, even in his absence, Tanner’s voice continues to echo, not as a goodbye, but as the last post in a story that many won’t forget.
