Terminally ill dad spends final days creating a lifetime of memories for his newborn daughter

A husband and wife knew that their days together were numbered, and so they pulled out all the stops to make the most of them. This is the story of an Instagram couple, Shay and Tanner Martin, whose love story will touch your heart, but what follows soon after will leave a lasting impression. The couple's lives were moving blissfully in romantic harmony until they were met with whispers of Tanner’s colon cancer diagnosis. The couple has since been posting a series of videos about their long battle with cancer on their Instagram page named @tannerandshay. To do this all while expecting their first child is an agony so unparalleled that it seems near impossible for fate to be this cruel. He decided to make a lifetime of memories for her to remember him.

One of the videos on their page reflects their optimism towards making the best memories out of their situation while preparing for the husband's passing. Tanner and Shay go on to reserve a section of land each for their graves, buy a tombstone for Tanner, visit the mortuary to reserve a place for him, and prepare for the birth of their daughter — including her life in the absence of her father.

Another video features the couple going to a mall to build 2 teddy bears for their daughter — with Tanner’s imprint. For 1 of the teddies, Tanner records his voice, hoping his daughter will listen to it after he is gone. The other teddy holds his heartbeat, making it so that the little human can feel him beside her. In another video, Tanner is seen painting a plate for his daughter to use every year on her birthday, while another has him talking about his girl being born soon, holding the tiny shoes that will be on her feet within months. He also recorded a storybook for her to listen to in his voice and made her a bracelet as a keepsake to remember him by.

The highlight of the page was when Shay threw her husband a Life Celebration Party, “while he is still alive” — the couple entered hand-in-hand, riding a Limo and walked on a red carpet. Inside, there was a movie hall where Tanner’s life story was compiled and played for his friends and family to watch. Shay also put up an exhibition of his pictures from all walks of life alongside toys from his childhood.

“A cancer diagnosis often has a ripple effect on how patients see themselves, on their life and on their relationships,” says Cheyenne Corbett, Director of Cancer Support and Survivorship at Duke Cancer Institute in Durham, North Carolina, in a report. “When you think of it in the context of marriage, it brings additional pressure, distress, and changes to how a couple typically operate in terms of their relationship.”

A study by Don Vaughan states, “In most cases, couples draw closer during the cancer journey and come through the experience with their relationship intact... being in a close relationship can dramatically improve patient outcomes.” Another study conducted by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that patients with issues such as anxiety, depression, or a lack of social support before a major transplant, often find themselves returning to the hospital bed soon after discharge. This time, they stay longer than those with better overall mental health.

After watching the overwhelming video, @daryltroyllc wrote, “God please watch over his wife and daughter. Keep his wife strong and let his daughter grow up knowing how much her father loved her,” while @rubylee462 expressed, “That baby has no idea how loved she is.” Finally, @swaggyctv wrote, “God bless him. I hate this so much. I’m so sorry for you both. You guys are so brave.”

You can follow Shay and Tanner Martin (@tannerandshay) on Instagram for more motivational content.