30-year-old influencer announced his death in pre-recorded video
Social media influencer Tanner Martin announced his death in a pre-recorded video, five years after he was diagnosed with colon cancer.
Tanner shared his final message to his followers on Thursday, June 26 (Philippine Time). "Hey, it's me, Tanner. If you're watching this, I am dead."
"Everyone, I had a heck of a life," the 30-year-old online personality said. "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."
He then thanked his followers "for all the love and support" they showed him and his partner, Shay Wright. He also asked for prayers and any form of support for his family, especially since they recently welcomed their daughter, AmyLou, whom they fondly call Jiaozi.
“You guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here," Martin continued, adding that he's excited to meet his departed loved ones in the afterlife.
"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 added.
“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 like fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable,” he continued. Before asking his followers to "Be kind to each other and have a happy life."
In another posthumous video, Martin shared his final request, which is to provide financial aid for his bereaved family.
"As a lot of you know, my cancer is terminal, so there's a really, really good chance that Jiaozi will not have any real memories of me, and that Shay could raise Jiaozi all by herself," he said, adding that they were setting up a GoFundMe page to help Wright and their baby with financial needs.
"It'll help replace my income. It'll help pay for babysitting. It'll help for school, for her wedding. All these things that normally Shay and I would do together," he added. "If I'm gone, it's gonna be really hard for Shay to do on her own."
As of writing, the page has garnered more than $680,000 in donations (over P38 million), close to their $750K goal.
Martin was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2020. During those years, he has been documenting and sharing his journey with the disease.
Before his passing, he achieved significant milestones despite his cancer treatment. In 2023, he completed his degree in Behavioral Science. He also celebrated his 30th birthday in December 2024 and welcomed his daughter with Wright on May 15.
