Tanner Martin Announces His Death in Heartfelt Video After 5-Year Cancer Battle

Tanner Martin didn’t let cancer write his final chapter. He did it himself. On his terms. With the same humor, honesty, and love that defined the five-year journey he shared with the world.

At just 30 years old, Tanner passed away from colon cancer. He left behind a powerful message. One he recorded before his death. A video posted by his wife, Shay Wright, gave his followers a chance to hear directly from him one last time.

A final message from Tanner

“Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead.”

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That’s how his video begins. It’s blunt. It’s also exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from someone who made the internet fall in love with his raw, unfiltered outlook on life.

Tanner didn’t shy away from the truth. He never did. But in this video, he leaned into it in a way that somehow made death feel a little less heavy.

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“I had a heck of a life,” he said, smiling. “Life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here.”

He talked about his excitement for what comes next. Not with fear, but with curiosity. “Death is scary, but it’s also like a new adventure, you know?”

He even joked about being a “force ghost,” Star Wars-style. That part was captioned by Shay with a heart and a subtle reminder that even in death, Tanner’s spirit remains with those he loved.

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A new dad, a lasting legacy

Just 41 days before his passing, Tanner became a father.

In May, he and Shay welcomed their baby girl into the world. A moment filled with joy, mixed with all the complicated emotions that come with knowing time is limited. They posted a picture together in the hospital. Just the three of them. A brand new family.

That moment gave him something to fight for. Something to live for. And something to leave behind. It wasn’t just about holding on. It was about creating memories. Real ones.

A community built from love and honesty

Tanner and Shay didn’t build their social media presence for fame. They built it to connect. From the moment Tanner shared his colon cancer diagnosis at just 25 years old, their posts became a source of hope, strength, and brutal honesty.

They shared chemo updates. IVF struggles. Little victories. Big scares. And through it all, they never sugarcoated the hard stuff.

Their audience didn’t just watch. They leaned in. They supported. They laughed and cried along with them. And they stayed, not because the story was perfect, but because it was real.

A wish for the future

In a second video posted after his death, Tanner shared his last request. A simple one.

He asked for help for Shay and their daughter. He knew he wouldn’t be around to provide for them in the way he wanted. So he pointed viewers to a GoFundMe link. A place where people could show up one more time.

Not out of pity. But out of love. That’s the kind of community he helped build.

Tanner’s final days

In May, just before his daughter arrived, Tanner posted one of his last health updates. Chemo had left his voice hoarse, but his message was clear.

He was tired. The treatment was taking a toll. But his focus wasn’t on the pain. It was on the little slippers in his hand. The ones for his baby girl. “Guess what’s happening,” he said with a grin. “Guess who arrives in six days.”

That video wasn’t just an update. It was a moment of joy.

A reminder that even when things felt uncertain, there was still something beautiful ahead.

Facing the end with grace

Tanner had known since early 2023 that his cancer was no longer curable. Doctors told him he likely had two to five years left. He took that news and lived every day with purpose. He didn’t hide. He didn’t give in to despair.

Instead, he made videos. Wrote messages. Held his wife’s hand. Dreamed about fatherhood. And even in his final hours, he thought about the people watching. He thanked them for making the last years of his life better.

Not many people get to say goodbye the way Tanner did. Even fewer get to do it with humor, grace, and hope.

But he did. In his own voice. On his own timeline. And surrounded by the love he helped create.