The family was hit with a fresh wave of heartache on Christmas day when their youngest daughter passed away to ‘join big sister Abi’
Social media influencer Melissa Mae Carlton and her husband, Tom, have been hit with a tragedy no parent should ever have to face, as they confirmed the heartbreaking death of their youngest daughter Molly.
Melissa, a successful influencer who also runs a faith-based art shop, confirmed the devastating news on Friday December 26, with a carousel of pictures of Molly, alongside their other children and photos of her and her husband.
Captioning the images on Instagram, Melissa explained that Molly had passed away on Christmas Day and is now with her big sister Abi, who died at the age of nine in April 2024 after a short battle with sepsis.
Teenager goes missing on Christmas Eve
She wrote, “On Christmas morning, our sweet Molly girl, and her big sister Abi were reunited. [broken heart emoji] This is the only thing giving me even a small sense of comfort.
“Molly missed her sister so deeply. She would often ask me, ‘Mummy, when is Jesus coming back so Abi can come down?’
“We are devastated. In disbelief. Confused and in shock. We are exhausted and shaken after a day filled with trauma and heartbreak.”
The caption then continued: “I feel numb. I cannot yet accept that this is real. I am not ready for this pain.
“We are overwhelmed by how many of you prayed with us and for her yesterday. I am asking, with all my heart, that those prayers do not stop [red heart emoji].
“In the days and weeks ahead, there will be so much to do and to organize, and we will need strength beyond our own.”
While the pain is still fresh for her and her husband, Melissa also expressed her concerns for her surviving children son Harry, and daughter Lily. She said she is ‘scared of what life looks like now for us’ and is ‘heartbroken’ for her children.
Immediately after the death was announced, countless followers reached out to the family to express their condolences, but some social media users also began to speculate about the cause of death.
Rather than let the rumour mill leap into overdrive, Melissa made the brave decision to speak out directly, even in her grief, to reveal that although an official cause of death had yet to be established, doctors did have a strong suspicion of what may have been behind the deaths of both her children.
“I hesitate to share a medical update already because we still don’t have an official diagnosis. But I do feel it’s important to let people know that we have some answers this time,” she wrote on Instagram. “The doctors believe Molly had a genetic heart condition and suspect this may have been the case with Abi as well.”
Melissa Mae Carlton confirmed the heartbreaking news on social media (Melissamaecarlton/instagram)
She also shared that she hoped by going public with the story, it could help other families who had also faced the heartbreaking tragedy of a SUDC (sudden unexpected death in children).
“We’ve been told that even a minor illness could potentially trigger a sudden cardiac event,” she explained. “We were in the best possible place, with everything aligned for the best conditions and the best outcome. Her little body fought so hard. But we’ve been told that this type of cardiac event is, in most cases, not survivable.”
“I hope we will get more answers soon and will be doing more genetic investigation for our family now we have possibly a clearer avenue to explore,” she concluded. “We are grateful for every single one of you.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.Featured Image Credit: melissamaecarlton/instagram
Influencer, 30, announces own death in heartbreaking video just weeks after birth of first child
Tanner Martin recorded a video for his followers to be shared once he died
Influencer Tanner Martin announced his death in a video shared on social media after just a few weeks after becoming a dad.
The beloved social media star, 30, documented his life along with his wife Shay Martin since 2020 following his terminal cancer diagnosis.
In the new video, Tanner addressed their 455,000 Instagram followers, saying: “Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you are watching this, I am dead,” before saying that his last message will be ‘lighthearted’.
Tanner went on to say he had a ‘heck of a life’ and revealed he decided to make a goodbye video announcing his death about a year ago.
“Life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here,” he shared.
“Hopefully, I believe there’s something after this. I’m excited to meet those people, and hopefully we’re hanging out now and making fun of all you nerds.”
Followers have left tributes in the comment section of the video, with one person writing: “The most special human. Rest in peace sweet Tanner. Sending love and prayers to everyone left behind, especially Shay and your beautiful baby girl.”
Another commenter wrote: “Sending prayers to you and your little girl. Heaven just gained the best angel. Love you.”
And a third Instagram user shared: “I’m so sorry Shay my thoughts and prayers are with you.”
Tanner was diagnosed with colon cancer when he was 25, and was told three years later that the illness could not be cured. Doctors said he had between two and five years left to live.
In the time between November 2020 and October 2024, Tanner underwent more than 50 rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, and six major surgeries, People reports. The couple grew an audience by using social media to keep a diary of sorts of their bucket list adventures following the heartbreaking prognosis Tanner received.
They flew to Ireland to renew their vows, visited Disney World, and went on vacation in Mexico and Italy. Tanner was a huge Star Wars fan and he managed to meet Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamil. The caption for Tanner’s final video even includes a Star Wars reference.
“May the force be with you from our angel force ghost,” it reads.
Shay and Tanner (tannerandshay/Instagram)
“I think it’s important to talk about death, especially for other people in my situation,” Tanner told People in October last year. “This is something you want to prep for. You don’t want your spouse to have to plan your funeral and maybe not even have enough money to do so.”
Part of the prep involved working with a death doula, a person who helped the couple with end-of-life planning.
Shay announced in a TikTok post shared in November that she was pregnant, and she gave birth to their daughter AmyLou on May 15, 2025.
Speaking about their decision to have a baby, a caption on a TikTok video announcing the baby news 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.”
Symptoms of colon cancer include:
- Change in bowel habits
- Blood in the stool
- Rectal bleeding
- Stomach cramps or pain
- Fatigue
- Tiredness
- Unexplained weight loss