Tanner and Shay Martin’s emotional first Father's Day post moves fans amid his terminal cancer diagnosis
UTAH: Tanner and Shay Martin marked their first Father’s Day as new parents by sharing an emotional video montage of the day their daughter, AmyLou, entered the world.
The Instagram reel, set to gentle music, begins with intimate scenes from the delivery room, People reported.
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Tanner and Shay Martin welcome baby girl amid cancer battle
Visibly moved, Tanner Martin is seen supporting Shay through labor, then cradling their newborn moments after her arrival on May 15, 2025. His soft yet steady voice can be heard as he whispers to his daughter, “Sweetheart, I've been so excited to meet you. I love you so much... I've been waiting for this for so long.”
The video quickly drew hundreds of thousands of views, as followers of the couple who have amassed a combined audience of over 860,000 on Instagram and TikTok offered messages of love, strength, and admiration.
Tanner, 30, and Shay Martin’s journey into parenthood comes nearly five years after they first began sharing their lives with the world, a journey that started when Tanner, just 25 at the time, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
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Earlier this year, the Martins opened up about the emotional and medical considerations they faced while planning for parenthood, including the risks of cancer-related genetic transmission and Tanner’s limited time.
In November, the couple surprised their followers with a pregnancy reveal via TikTok. One line in the video read, “Cancer has taken so much from us. I know you wanted to be a dad so badly, but I got to see you be the best dog dad. We tried IVF and planned to have a baby, but sepsis and your cancer progressing prevented us. Until now."
Emotional Father’s Day post from Tanner and Shay Martin touches fans' hearts
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Tanner and Shay Martin’s heartfelt tribute to their first Father’s Day as parents struck an emotional chord with users on Instagram. The couple, who welcomed daughter AmyLou while continuing to document Tanner’s battle with terminal cancer, shared a touching video capturing precious moments of fatherhood and family.
The response from fans and followers was overwhelmingly supportive, filled with love, prayers, and admiration for the young family’s strength.
One user commented on the post, “Happy 1st Father’s Day, Tanner! How lucky is AmyLou to be loved by such a great dad.”
Another wrote, “Happy Father’s Day Tanner! This video is beautiful. May God bless you. You and your family are in my prayers.”
One person said, “Tanner and Shay, I'm so so happy you got to experience this moment. Praying for a miracle for you all, you deserve it so much. You are both amazing parents and thank you for sharing your journey with us all. God bless.”
One fan summed up the collective emotion and remarked, “Oh my heart!!! Such a special moment! Happy Father’s Day Tanner!!! AmyLou has THE BEST daddy in the whole world.”
Another added, “What a beautiful journey. The best dad. Happy Father’s Day Tanner.”
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