TV Ink Master star Ryan Hadley dies at 46 Hadley, who competed on season 6 of the reality series, died after a battle with cancer. By Lauren Huff Lauren Huff Lauren Huff is a writer at Entertainment Weekly with over a decade of experience covering all facets of the entertainment industry. After graduating with honors from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook 'em, Horns!), Lauren wrote about film, television, awards season, music, and more for the likes of The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline Hollywood, Us Weekly, Awards Circuit, and others before landing at EW in May 2019. EW's editorial guidelines Published on June 21, 2024 09:07PM EDT Ryan Hadley, the tattoo artist known for competing on the sixth season of the reality series Ink Master, died Thursday at 46 after a battle with cancer. A statement posted to Hadley's Instagram account Friday said, "Ryan left this world last night surrounded by loved ones. 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." Hadley's season of Ink Master aired in 2015, and he was eliminated in the second week. The competition show, which originated on Spike TV and eventually made its way to Paramount+, pits tattoo artists against each other with challenges assessing their tattooing and related creative skills. Ryan Hadley. Ryan Hadley/ Instagram After his time on Ink Master, Hadley continued to work as a tattoo artist, sharing photos of his latest creations on social media. He disclosed his cancer diagnosis to fans in December, revealing that he was undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with "seminoma cancer that came from testicular cancer." "I do thank you for all the support that everyone has giving me and I do appreciate the kindness," he wrote. "I'm only 45yrs and I'm not ready to leave here yet. I will not abandoned my children and loved ones. I'm here fighting one day at a time." Celebrity deaths 2024: Remembering the stars we've lost this year In April, Hadley revealed that the chemotherapy was not successful and the cancer had spread to his lungs and liver. He wrote on Instagram, "This is a non treatable cancer in my liver and death is the outcome. I may be around for another week or maybe another 3 months, either way it tears me apart that I'm leaving my children behind. 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." On Monday, Hadley's family asked for end-of-life donations in a heartfelt Instagram post and said, "Ryan would like to thank everyone for their support over the years. He's always taken great pride in his work."