'Ink Master' Star Ryan Hadley Has Died — Inside What Happened and His Decades-Long Career

On June 22, 2024, family members of Ink Master star Ryan Hadley announced on Instagram that he died on June 20. He was 46 years old. But for those who might not be aware, what was Ryan Hadley's cause of death? The professional tattoo artist and reality star appeared in Season 6 of Ink Master: Master vs. Apprentice, but he was known for decades outside of reality television for his career as a tattoo artist.

For some of Ryan's fans, the news of his passing came as a shock. For others, who have followed him on social media, whether it was before or after his time on Ink Master, they might have known more about Ryan's declining health. Either way, the loss is felt by plenty of people, and in the announcement of Ryan's death, his family shared that he will be a "legend forever" to many.

"Ryan left this world last night surrounded by loved ones," the statement reads. "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."

Prior to Ryan's June 2024 death, he had battled seminoma cancer (a form of cancer that starts in the testicles) since his December 2023 diagnosis. He went through chemotherapy following his diagnosis. However, in April 2024, he shared on Instagram that his chemotherapy was not a success in destroying the cancer cells to help aid him on a path to recovery.

He wrote, "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."

Ryan passed away two months after that post. And, while his death was expected for him and he knew it was coming because of the way his cancer spread, his friends and fellow tattoo artists who still felt the shock of the loss flew to the comments on Instagram to share positive memories of working with or just knowing Ryan in his 20-plus years as a tattoo artist.

When Ryan initially shared his Instagram post about chemotherapy, he also added that what tore him apart the most was the idea of leaving behind his children. According to the GoFundMe set up by Ryan's family, he is survived by his young children who are "all under 12," his adult daughter, and his wife, Sinja Hadley.