Ink Master star Ryan Hadley died Thursday night at the age of just 46, after a difficult months-long battle with cancer.
Hadley, who appeared on the sixth season of the reality show, suffered from a germ cell tumor called seminoma that started as testicular cancer and then spread.
“Ryan left this world last night surrounded by his loved ones,” reads an announcement posted to his Instagram page on Friday.
“Although his life was cut short, in that time he left a legacy in both the world of art and tattooing,” the message continued.
‘He loved his many fans, his friends and clients and, above all, his children. We will miss him and always remember him. A legend forever. #RIP #f***cancer’.
Ink Master star Ryan Hadley died Thursday night at the age of just 46, after a difficult months-long battle with cancer; photographed with his children last month
The announcement of his death was accompanied by a black and white image of him smiling while applying a tattoo to a client.
Hadley, who is survived by two children under the age of 13, began chemotherapy in December with the help of a GoFundMe launched by her family.
“I’m only 45 and I’m not ready to leave here yet,” he wrote on Instagram after completing his first week of treatments. ‘I will not abandon my children or my loved ones. I’m here fighting one day at a time.’
In January he was able to return to work, but the cancer spread to his lungs and liver and chemotherapy failed to stop its progress.
In late April he announced that his illness was terminal, writing: “This is untreatable liver cancer and the result is death.”
Hadley reflected: “I may be here another week or maybe another three months, either way it breaks me to have to leave my children behind.”
He added: “Death does not scare me in any way… it is the fact of abandonment with my children that bothers me and there is nothing I can do about it.” I will keep everyone informed to some extent about all of this. I will say goodbye very soon forever.’
During his remaining two months, he continued to take solace in his love of tattoos and posting images of his work on social media.
Hadley, who appeared on the sixth season of the reality show (pictured), suffered from a germ cell tumor called seminoma that started as testicular cancer and then spread.
“Ryan left this world last night surrounded by his loved ones,” reads an announcement posted to his Instagram page on Friday, accompanied by a photo of him at work.
“I’m only 45 and I’m not ready to leave here yet,” he wrote on Instagram in December after completing his first week of chemotherapy.
In May he was able to travel from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he lived, to Columbus, Ohio, for the Hell City Tattoo Festival, where he appears photographed with influencer Big Gus.
In May he was able to travel from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he lived, to Columbus, Ohio, to attend a local chapter of the Hell City Tattoo Festival.
He apparently continued working until the end of the month, posting a short video on May 30 of an arm tattoo he had apparently just applied.
However, this Monday his loved ones posted on their Instagram to reveal that they were raising money for his end-of-life expenses.
“Ryan would like to thank everyone for their support over the years,” they wrote alongside a photo of him with his children. “He has always felt very proud of his work.”
