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Married at First Sight star Adrian Szymaniak has died aged 39, one year after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Szymaniak appeared on season three of the Polish version of the hit reality franchise in 2018 where he met his wife Anita Szydłowska, with whom he would go on to welcome two children with.
The reality star's death was announced in a heartbreaking Instagram post from Szydłowska on September 5, which read, 'It is with great sorrow that we announce that Adrian has passed away.
'In these extremely difficult moments, the most important things for us are silence, closeness and the ability to say goodbye to Him with our loved ones.
'Adrian's funeral will be family and private only. We need now, above all, the peace and space, to say goodbye to Adrian with love, dignity and silence.
'We thank everyone who respects our will, privacy and this particularly difficult time for us.
Married at First Sight star Adrian Szymaniak has died aged 39, one year after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor
Szymaniak appeared on season three of the Polish version of the hit reality franchise in 2018 where he met his wife Anita Szydłowska, with whom he would go onto welcome two children with
Szymaniak was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, in July 2025. He had openly shared his journey battling his cancer
'At this extremely difficult time for us, we also ask you to refrain from sending personal condolences, calls and messages. We need silence, peace and space to live this time with our loved ones.
'Thank you for understanding, respecting and respecting our need for privacy.
'Adrian's Wife, Children, and Friends.'
Szymaniak was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, in July 2025. He had openly shared his journey battling his cancer.
In February, he wrote, 'Not every illness is visible. Maybe you are sick.
'Maybe someone in your family or close ones is battling with a serious illness, cancer.
'Chances are you passed a few of these people today - and you don't even know it. Because it has to function. To smile. To live.
The reality star's death was announced in a heartbreaking Instagram post from Szydłowska on September 5, which read, 'It is with great sorrow that we announce that Adrian has passed away' - pictured with their daughter
Szymaniak and his wife - pictured with their two young children - renewed their wedding vows in December 2025 amid his health battle
Szymaniak bravely underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery to treat his tumor
'Many people have been living with the diagnosis for years. Fight quietly or quite loudly.
'Sometimes they don't have a choice - the treatment is not reimbursed, despite years of receiving contributions. They have to ask for help like I do, though it's not easy at all.
'I share my story because I have no other options, but also because I believe it can give someone hope.
'Instead of the daily sadness and regret- I choose to be grateful for every day. Instead of being helpless, I choose to fight and plan for the future. For me, they are the bridges to her.
'I have dreams. I don't lock myself in four walls. I share my experience with others - in conversations, meetings, relationships, I can joke with myself.
'Diagnosis is not a verdict — until we accept it as a verdict ourselves. Physics is one of the most important components in the fight against illness.
'Medicine is evolving. It gives you hope. It's worth looking for opportunities, good specialists, next doors. Not all hospitals and doctors are equal. Not everyone can also talk to patients, and often they don't even have up-to-date knowledge. It's worth looking further.
'If you saw me out walking with my family today you probably wouldn't say I'm battling one of the worst cancers. This is why we should not judge. Let's not assume.
'One day I have plenty of strength. Another I don't have any.
'This is what an illness looks like. It's not just lying in bed, it's also laughter and joy, sometimes even with much smaller things than before.
'Let's normalize this. Let's not be told what a sick person "should" look like.
His death comes less than a month after the passing of fellow Married At First Sight star Ryan De Nino at age 40. A family source revealed to TMZ at the time that he died 'suddenly' in New Jersey; seen above with Jessica Castro in 2015 on Married At First Sight
A family source revealed to TMZ at the time that he died 'suddenly' in New Jersey
'I keep my fingers crossed for everyone. Let the smile be on your faces as often as possible.'
His funeral was held on Wednesday in Żołędowo.
His death comes less than a month after the passing of fellow Married At First Sight star Ryan De Nino at age 40. A family source revealed to TMZ at the time that he died 'suddenly' in New Jersey.
De Nino appeared on the A&E series Married At First Sight during season two back in 2015, and had been paired with Jessica Castro at the time.
De Nino and Castro agreed to say 'I do' after first meeting at the alter on Married At First Sight, and stayed together on Decision Day.
However, the reality stars later divorced when season two ended.
WHAT IS A GLIOBLASTOMA AND JUST HOW DEADLY IS IT? THE AGGRESSIVE BRAIN TUMOR SUFFERED BY JOHN MCCAIN
Senator John McCain was diagnosed with a glioblastoma in July 2017
Glioblastoma is considered the most aggressive tumor that can form in the brain. Senator John McCain was diagnosed with one in July 2017.
Patients have a 10 percent chance of surviving five years after their diagnosis, according to figures. The average lifespan is between 14 and 16 months.
Three adults per every 100,000 will be struck down with a glioblastoma, says The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).
It is most commonly found in men aged 50 to 60, and there is no link between developing glioblastoma and having a previous history with other cancers.
WHAT IS THE TUMOR MADE OF?
The tumor is made up of a mass of cells growing quickly in the brain, and in most cases patients have no family history of the disease.
It won't spread to other organs, however, once it is diagnosed, it is nearly impossible to target, surgeons claim.
Unlike other types of brain cancer which are more specifically located, glioblastoma can occur in any part of the brain.
WHAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE?
Because the tumor likely already spread deep into the brain by the time it is diagnosed, the cancerous tissue is incredibly difficult to remove.
Surgeon will only ever remove the tumor, or part of the tumor, if it won't do any damage to the surrounding brain tissue.
Dr Babcar Cisse, a neurosurgeon at the Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, told Daily Mail Online in July 2017: 'By the time a glioblastoma is diagnosed, microfibers can spread to the rest of the brain which an MRI would not spot.
'So even if the main tumor is removed and the patient receives radiation and chemotherapy, it will come back.'
GRADING A GLIOBLASTOMA
Brain tumors are graded from between one to four, depending on how fast they grow and how aggressive they are.
Malignant tumors are either given a high-grade three or four, while benign ones are given a lower grade one or two.
Glioblastoma is often referred to as a grade four astrocytoma - another form of brain tumor, says the AANS.
SYMPTOMS
Patients typically complain of symptoms such as confused vision, trouble with memory, dizziness and headaches.
The symptoms are somewhat nonspecific, and vary from person to person, and may not persist.
The disease is therefore impossible to diagnose based on symptoms alone.
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