Be The Match Feature Story - Tanner and his family were life-long LA Kings fans. In February 2011, their family, with the help of Be The Match held a donor registration drive at an LA Kings game, registering 300 new potential donors and raising more than 5,000 dollars. Sadly, just 36 hours later, Tanner passed away after battling chronic granulomatous disease. Tanner was only 19 years old.
In honor of Tanner, his family created a movement within the hockey community. With the help of a globe-trotting "Tannerhead", many new potential marrow donors have been added to the registry through donor registration drives held by the LA Kings and others on "Team Tanner."