‘Ink Master’ Star Ryan Hadley Dead at 46 After Cancer Battle: ‘A Legend Forever’

Ink Master star Ryan Hadley has died at age 46 after battling cancer.

The news was confirmed on Friday, June 21, via Hadley’s Instagram account almost one month after the tattoo artist revealed that “chemotherapy wasn’t a success at all.”

“Ryan left this world last night surrounded by loved ones,” the post read. “While his life was cut short, in that time, he left a legacy behind in both the art and tattoo world. He loved his many fans, his friends and clients, and most of all, his children. He’ll be missed and always remembered. A legend forever.”

Hadley appeared on season 6 of Ink Master and was eliminated early on in the process. He continued his career, marking over two decades in the industry in April while announcing that he had ended his cancer treatments.

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“I want to give thanks to all of my clients, sponsors, friends and family for 25 wonderful years of tattooing. I’m opening up and telling everyone that my chemotherapy wasn’t a success at all. I made [the] decision to follow the oncologist's orders and do everything that they asked for during my treatments,” Hadley wrote via Instagram on April 22. “Chemotherapy wasn’t for me and now my cancer has spread to my liver and lungs. This is a non-treatable cancer in my liver and death is the outcome. I may be around for another week or maybe another three months, either way, it tears me apart that I’m leaving my children behind.”

He added, “Death doesn’t scare me in any way, it’s the fact of abandonment with my kids is what pisses me off and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ll keep everyone updated to a certain point in all this. I’ll be signing off very soon forever.”

Hadley publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis in December 2023, explaining via Instagram he developed “seminoma cancer that came from testicular cancer” and it was very “fast-moving.”

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“I’m only 45 [years old] and I’m not ready to leave here yet. I will not abandon my children and loved ones. I’m here fighting one day at a time,” he told his followers at the time.

Hadley launched a GoFundMe page after his diagnosis to help with the treatment cost and daily expenses for his family.

“While Ryan is going through aggressive treatment for seminoma, he's unable to work to keep his business and family afloat,” his fundraising page, which raised $4,600, reads. “Ryan owns a tattoo & art gallery in Indiana, and cares for his boys all under 12.”