Last Year, He Was Told He Has 2 to 5 Years to Live. Now He and His Wife Are Expecting a Baby (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Tanner and Shay.Photo:SabrinaPhotoCo.

SabrinaPhotoCo.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, they say the excitement of the news is co-mingling with “grief, fear and anxiety.”

Tanner Martin and Shay Wright have gone viral on TikTok since they began documenting Tanner’s cancer journey. Tanner was just 25 years old when he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in November 2020 and, as he told PEOPLE in an earlier interview, was told in February 2023 that his cancer was no longer curable. Doctors estimated that he would have two to five years left.

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In a video posted to TikTok on Nov. 4, the couple shared a montage of videos taken in recent years. “Cancer has taken so much from us,” text over the video reads.

Tanner and Shay.SabrinaPhotoCo.

“It’s interesting because usually when people get pregnant they only have excitement for the future. While we are definitely excited, we are also experiencing grief, fear and anxiety,” Shay says.She continues: “This was a massive decision for us that took a couple years to decide. As I’m a mental health therapist, I’m very aware of the research of child development. But also aware of how to combat possible negative effects. But either way, it’s going to be hard.”

The couple was hit with another roadblock when Tanner got sepsis and spent months in the hospital. “We waited about a year to do the transfer until Tanner was more stable on treatment and I was graduated from my masters program,” Shay says.

Now, the couple is busy converting Tanner’sStar Wars-themed man cave into a nursery — and converting a different room into a space for Tanner, “so he can still have his own little place,” Shay says, to relax after treatments.

“I’ve never been so happy for 2 strangers🙏🏼🤍,” wrote one. “Yay a little piece of Tanner forever! God bless your little bundle of joy!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💕💕💕💕,” added another.

source: people.com