Influencer Tanner Martin has died at the age of 30 following a five-year battle with colon cancer, announcing his death himself in a prerecorded video on Instagram.
“Hey, it’s me Tanner, if you’re watching this, I am dead,” the influencer said in the video shared on Wednesday. “I had a heck of a life. I decided to make this video announcing my death, cause 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.”
The social media star added that his decision to share the news himself was to allow his wife, Shay Wright, “some time to grieve” without needing to address the public.
“I wanted to make a video where she could just post it so that you guys would know, and she could take a break as long as she needed to from social media,” he said.
Martin’s death comes just over a month after the couple welcomed their daughter AmyLou, also known as Jiaozi, on May 15.
“I would ask at this time if you could continue to offer prayers and stuff for my sweetheart Shay and my baby girl Jiaozi,” Martin said.
In another post, Tanner appears in a video with AmyLou lying by his side as he makes one final request to fans.
“I just wanted to ask you guys if you would help me raise Jiaozi,” he said. “We’re gonna start a GoFundMe and the GoFundMe is to help replace what I would be there for.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe had already hit more than $590,000, surpassing its original $250,000 goal. The page notes the money will be used to buy “a modest starter home” for Martin’s family.
Before signing off, the influencer said he had one last message for his supporters: “I love you guys. Be kind to each other, see the good intent in other people and you guys will just have a happy life.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
