Shay Martin Thanks Late Husband Tanner for Being Her 'Angel' as She Visits His Grave Ahead of Christmas
- - Shay Martin Thanks Late Husband Tanner for Being Her 'Angel' as She Visits His Grave Ahead of Christmas
Tabitha ParentDecember 29, 2025 at 11:11 PM
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Shay Martin/Instagram
Shay and AmyLou Martin. -
Shay Martin is honoring her husband Tanner, just months after his death in July
After documenting his five-year-long cancer journey on social media, Tanner announced his death in a pre-recorded video
Shay also shared another video documenting her and her daughter AmyLou's experience of the Christmas holiday, marking their first without Tanner
Shay Martin is commemorating her late husband Tanner Martin's birthday, just months after his death in July.In an emotional Instagram video, shared on Dec. 23, the content creator and mother documented her and her nearly six-month-old daughter with Tanner, visiting his grave as they marked his first birthday since his death.The video included shots of the two holding a cupcake at Tanner's gravesite, which is marked with a commemorative bench bearing the inscription, "Never Tell Me The Odds," a quote from Star Wars. Shay interspersed the video with clips of her and Tanner from when he was still alive. In the video, Shay also holds the couple's young daughter, AmyLou."Happy 31st Birthday Tanner," Shay captioned the video tribute. "You made it to 30 like you hoped. And made it to meet AmyLou like you wished. While I miss you dearly, I pray you are at peace and feel so much love on your 31st Birthday. Thank you for being our angel. I love you."Days later, she marked her first Christmas without her husband. In a separate video, she posted a clip of her and Tanner dancing with Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" playing over it, before the music transitions to a more melancholic instrumental."It’s your favorite time of year 🎄," Shay wrote in the caption.
Shay Martin/Instagram
Shay and Tanner Martin.
In July, Tanner announced his own death after a five-year cancer journey that he documented and was viewed widely across social media. News of Tanner's death came just over a month after he and Shay shared the news that they had welcomed their first child, daughter AmyLou.Shay spoke about the couple's decision to get pregnant amid Tanner's cancer treatments on an episode of Matt and Abby Howard's The Unplanned Podcast on Oct. 1.“He really, really wanted to be a dad,” said Shay of her late husband. “And I had always wanted to have a family. So, at that point, we were like, ‘Alright, let’s have a kid.’"
Shay went on to describe the couple's medical journey amid their desire to become pregnant. Before undergoing his first cancer treatments in 2020, doctors told Tanner to bank his sperm in the event that his treatments caused him to become infertile.
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In July 2024 — while Tanner's treatments appeared to be working — they tried for a baby. “We were already pregnant,” Shay said on The Unplanned Podcast. “And then Tanner’s treatment stopped working.”
AmyLou was born in May, and Tanner died 41 days later.
Since her husband’s death, Shay has been open with her over 592,000 Instagram followers about her grieving process and life as a widow.
Last month, during her first Thanksgiving since Tanner died, the creator shared an emotional video compilation showcasing some of her favorite memories with Tanner, and on her Instagram Stories, she shared several posts about navigating grief during the holiday season.
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"5 years since you were diagnosed. 5 months since you became our angel," she captioned the post. "It’s hard when I feel like I’m forgetting your smile, your face, your laugh. I’m so grateful you tolerated every video and photo so we could cherish you for eternity."
"I love you. I miss you," she added. "And you’re mean♥️"
Earlier in November, Shay did the viral candy salad trend with several other widows, where they shared anecdotes about their late husbands before dumping their chosen candy into a bowl.
“My name is Shay. My husband Tanner died four months ago, and I had a 6-week-old baby, and unknowingly, Tanner had set up a GoFundMe, and people said, ‘I don’t know why you think you deserve that,’ ” she acknowledged in the video.
“Having people that GET IT is so healing,” Shay wrote in the caption. “We cry together and laugh together. We support each other and cheer one another on!”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
