Tanner Martin, the 30-year-old Utah man who died last month after documenting his five-year battle with colon cancer through social media, was laid to rest Saturday after a funeral ceremony that filled the chapel in American Fork.
Attendees Saturday dressed in a combination of funeral attire and Star Wars regalia, a request from his wife, Shay Wright, to honor Tanner.
When Tanner’s family entered the chapel, they were met with a compilation combining a Star Wars score with “If You Could Hie to Kolob,” a hymn that explores concepts of eternity and eternal life.
Tanner and Wright chronicled their experiences with the world on their shared social media accounts after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in November 2020 at the age of 25.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Shay Wright holds her infant daughter AmyLou Martin as she stands beside the casket of her husband Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, during his graveside services in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
In May, the couple had a newborn daughter, AmyLou, after Wright became pregnant with the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Not long after, Tanner’s family said the chemotherapy seemed to start doing more harm than good. On June 25, Tanner announced his own death in a 5-minute video posted on the couple’s Instagram and TikTok accounts, saying, “Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you are watching this, I am dead.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Patches adorn a jean jacket in the lobby during the funeral services for Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
His father, Thomas Martin, said his son loved science fiction and fantasy, and started singing “The Imperial March” when he was two.
One time, Tanner even “received the force” from his uncle, Thomas said. When the two were at a red light, the uncle noticed the signal would soon turn green and asked Tanner if he could change it.
Tanner was convinced in his powers, and later announced to his parents that he neither needed to clean his room nor take a nap. His uncle had to call and rescind the force due to reports he was abusing it, Thomas said to laughter.
On another occasion, Thomas said his son — who lived in China and Taiwan for periods growing up before settling in Utah — received a ring that read, “I am a child of God” after being baptized into the church. But when his classmates asked what it said, he gave them a different reading: “One ring to rule them all.”
“His cheerfulness was always turned up to 11,” Thomas said of his son.
When leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that 18-year-old men could serve as missionaries — bringing the minimum age down from 19 — he said his son was excited.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mementoes are seen on a table in the lobby during the funeral services for Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
“No hesitation, he was all in, ready to go,” Thomas said. His son knew bits of several languages, and they figured he would be sent abroad. Rather, he went to Mesa, Arizona, where he first met Wright.
Tanner’s mother, Kimberlee, shared a letter she had written to her son that he asked her to read at his funeral.
She described him as a “son of God” and “true disciple of our savior Jesus Christ” and remembered how excited he was to be a missionary even when he was young. She and Thomas told Tanner when he was young that he could share about his religion no matter how old he was, and he came home to tell his parents that he had taught the truth to his teacher — the Mormon church is true and “Buddhists are of the devil.”
“Oops,” she said, chuckling through her tears.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Stickers adorn the casket of Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, during his graveside service in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
Joy Martin, Tanner’s aunt, said he always wanted to positively impact his community and, after receiving his diagnosis, his community grew worldwide as he and Wright gained the attention of hundreds of thousands of followers on several social media platforms.
Tanner’s mom said she’s heard from people who had their own cases of colon cancer diagnosed early because they learned the symptoms through her son’s story.
Tanner’s friends also remembered him for his quick sense of humor and immense amount of kindness.
Hunter Dickerson, who first met Tanner when the two were LDS missionaries, remembered that soon after he said that he was from Tennessee, Tanner would greet him with “you’re the only ten I see,” jokes, a trend that he said spread mission-wide.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Pallbearers unload the casket of Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, at the American Fork Cemetery in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
The two became companions — a pair of missionaries who strictly stick together and cover the same area — at a time when Dickerson said he was struggling with his mental health and found support and help from Tanner.
Tanner, he remembered, told him he thought people are given anxiety because they would be “too powerful” for the world without it and helped him in the mission field and at home
He said Tanner would help him through breakups and helped him find a place to live where he met his wife.
Even in recent years while he fought cancer, Dickerson said Tanner helped him navigate “spiritual struggles” and will always hold a place in his family’s legacy.
“We don’t have a guarantee” on how much time we have left to live, Tanner’s father said in his eulogy. “He still wanted more time.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Shay Wright follows the casket of her husband, Tanner Martin, the man who chronicled his cancer battle alongside his wife's pregnancy, following the funeral services in American Fork on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
He reflected on how he finds it unfair that he’s gotten 30 Father’s Days while Tanner got one. In their marriage, he said Tanner and Wright had two years before he was diagnosed and five more of fighting cancer and visiting doctors.
Ultimately, he said he leans on his faith in Jesus Christ to fix those things that feel unjust.
“I’ve had a heck of a life,” Tanner said in the video announcing his death.
More words from him were printed on funeral materials: “Be kind to each other, always assume good intent” and “I’ve done my best, I’ll have to depend on the Savior’s grace for the rest.”
