Tanner Martin, 29, Cherished Husband and New Father, Passes Away After Inspiring Battle with Colon Cancer
To help family. Even 2$ help.PROVO, Utah — June 11, 2025 — Tanner Martin, a devoted husband, soon-to-be father, and courageous advocate in the fight against colon cancer, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, just weeks after welcoming his newborn daughter into the world. His passing marks the end of a four-year battle with stage 4 colon cancer—a journey he shared openly, offering hope, honesty, and resilience to countless others.
Tanner’s greatest wish was to hold his daughter in his arms. On May 15, that dream became reality. He and his wife, Shay Wright Martin, joyfully announced the birth of their daughter, AmyLou, sharing a tender hospital photo of Tanner cradling their newborn. The image, widely shared online, touched thousands, capturing both the fragility and beauty of life.
Diagnosed in 2020 at just 25 years old, Tanner endured immense challenges—hospitalizations, sepsis, and the relentless progression of his illness. By 2023, doctors informed the Martins that his cancer was no longer curable, estimating he had only two to five years left. Despite the prognosis, Tanner remained steadfast in his greatest goal: becoming a father.
Determined to build their family, Tanner and Shay turned to IVF amid his treatments. “It took a couple of years,” Shay, a licensed mental health therapist, shared in a March 2025 interview with *People*. “It was a massive decision. But we wanted to fight for this.”
As they prepared for parenthood, joy and sorrow intertwined. “We are excited—but also grieving,” Shay wrote in an emotional blog post days before AmyLou’s birth. “Even after everything, I am not ready. I want him here for our daughter. I want him here for me.”
Through heartfelt Instagram videos and unwavering optimism, Tanner spoke openly about life, death, and fatherhood. “The hardest thing about having a kid right now is knowing I might not see them grow up,” he shared. “But I was always excited to be a dad.”
At his baby shower, themed around *Neverland* and *Tatooine*, Tanner quietly soaked in the joy around him, holding onto the hope that he would experience fatherhood. When a friend asked what being a dad was like, Tanner hesitated before responding, “You’re in for a treat, man.” The weight of time hit hard—but he made it.
Tanner Martin is survived by his wife, Shay Wright Martin of Provo, UT; their infant daughter, AmyLou Martin; his parents, Gregory and Lynn Martin of Spanish Fork, UT; his sister, Rachel Martin-Snow (David) of Orem, UT; and his grandparents, Howard and Jean Martin of Utah County.
Tanner’s legacy endures through his family, his story, and the countless lives he touched. He showed the world that even in dying, there is meaning in living—and that love, especially a parent’s love, transcends time.
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