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Artist Amber Eldredge opened up on Instagram about a painting request she received from Shay Wright and her husband, Tanner Martin, who died on June 25 after his five-year journey with colon cancer
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She explained how the couple asked her to create a family portrait of them with their daughter prior to her birth on May 15, a request she called “a privilege and honor” that she’ll “never forget”
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In her caption, Eldredge recalled the first words Martin said to his baby daughter after she was born, and explained how she incorporated them into her painting
Tanner Martin loved being a dad.
Artist Amber Eldredge opened up in a recent Instagram post about a sweet photo she did for the influencer, who announced his own death on June 25 after his five-year journey with colon cancer, and shared the first words he told his newborn daughter.
Eldredge explained in her caption that Martin and his wife, Shay Wright, put in a request before their baby daughter, AmyLou, was born to “paint a portrait of their family” with “Tanner as an angel dad & husband.”
“Tanner asked specifically to capture their love, and hoped it could represent their eternal, special little family,” she continued in the post, which showed the final painting. “I am so incredibly honored that he & Shay trusted me with this. It’s a privilege & honor that I will never forget.”
The couple welcomed their first child together on May 15, one month before Martin’s death at age 30. The painting featured Martin and Wright cradling their little girl, smiling while looking down on her swaddled in pink.
Shay Martin/Instagram
Tanner Martin and his wife, Shay Wright
Eldredge called working on the painting “sacred ground,” detailing the honor of creating the family portrait in her caption while reflecting on her sentimental thought process throughout the intimate project.
“I painted in silence or tears most of the time, thinking of Tanner & Shay, of the impact they’ve made on the world. There are no words to express their love, their strength, & their commitment to each other. And how that love brought AmyLou to them,” she wrote.
The day before Martin died, Eldredge recalled writing the artist statement inspired by words the new dad said “to his perfect AmyLou” the first time he held her.
“‘I’ve waited so long for this,'” she recalled of what he said to his newborn daughter.
“I dropped the painting off to them that afternoon, and Shay texted me early the next morning that Tanner had passed & moved onto his next mission,” the artist continued in her caption.
Shay Martin/Instagram
Shay and Tanner Martin with their newborn baby
She concluded, “I’m honored to know that Tanner got to see himself this way, and that Shay and AmyLou will get to look at this painting & feel him near. Because he always will be… Never tell me the odds 💫 #rebelsagainstcancer.”
Martin announced his own death, speaking directly in a pre-recorded video posted on Instagram on June 25.
“Hey, it’s me, Tanner, if you’re watching this, I am dead,” he began in the clip.
“I had a heck of a life. I decided to make this video announcing my death because I saw someone did that, like, a year or so ago, and I think it’s a good opportunity to get all your thoughts out,” he explained, noting that he wanted to be thoughtful of what Wright would need during this time.”
“But you guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he continued in part.
In the caption, Martin’s wife, Wright, pointed followers to a second video, writing, “May the force be with you from our angel force ghost🤍 see the next video for his wish.”
Shay Martin/Instagram
Shay Martin and Tanner Martin
The clip shows Martin sitting beside AmyLou, whom they affectionately call Jiaozi. He opened by thanking their fans and followers “for all the love and support” they showed him and Wright as they prepared to welcome their daughter.
“As a lot of you know, my cancer is terminal, so there’s a really, really good chance that Jiaozi will not have any real memories of me, and that Shay could raise Jiaozi all by herself,” he said in the video.
Martin continued to explain that they were setting up a GoFundMe to help Wright and their baby with future financial needs.
“It’ll help replace my income. It’ll help pay for babysitting. It’ll help for school, for her wedding. All these things that normally Shay and I would do together,” he added in the clip. “If I’m gone, it’s gonna be really hard for Shay to do on her own.”
Read the original article on People
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