Adrian Szymaniak, who appeared on the Polish version of Married at First Sight, has died at 39, a year after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
His wife, Anita Szydłowska, announced his death in an Instagram post on September 5. "It is with great sorrow that we announce that Adrian has passed away," the post read.
"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," she wrote. She said Szymaniak's funeral would be "family and private only," and asked for "peace and space, to say goodbye to Adrian with love, dignity and silence."
Szydłowska thanked those who respected the family's wishes, and asked well-wishers to refrain from sending condolences, calls or messages, saying they needed "silence, peace and space to live this time with our loved ones." The post was signed "Adrian's Wife, Children, and Friends."
How the couple met
Szymaniak appeared on season three of the Polish edition of the reality franchise in 2018, where he met Szydłowska. The pair went on to have two children together.
Diagnosis and treatment
Szymaniak was diagnosed with a grade four glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of primary brain cancer, in July 2025. He had spoken openly about his illness since then.
He underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery to treat the tumor.
In December 2025, amid his health battle, Szymaniak and Szydłowska renewed their wedding vows.
Speaking openly about his illness
In February, Szymaniak wrote on social media about living with the disease. "Not every illness is visible. Maybe you are sick," he wrote. "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."
He wrote that many people live with such diagnoses for years, fighting quietly or loudly, and sometimes have no choice but to seek help themselves because treatment "is not reimbursed, despite years of receiving contributions."
"I share my story because I have no other options, but also because I believe it can give someone hope," he wrote. "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."
He said he continued to joke about his situation in conversations and relationships. "Diagnosis is not a verdict, until we accept it as a verdict ourselves," he wrote, adding that medicine was evolving and it was "worth looking for opportunities, good specialists, next doors," since not all hospitals and doctors were equal.
Szymaniak wrote that people who saw him out walking with his family would probably not say he was battling "one of the worst cancers," and that his strength varied by the day. "This is what an illness looks like," he wrote. "It's not just lying in bed, it's also laughter and joy. Let's normalize this. Let's not be told what a sick person 'should' look like."
"I keep my fingers crossed for everyone," he wrote. "Let the smile be on your faces as often as possible."
His funeral was held on Wednesday in Żołędowo.
Death of fellow Married At First Sight star
Szymaniak's death comes less than a month after the death of fellow Married At First Sight star Ryan De Nino at age 40. A family source told TMZ at the time that De Nino died "suddenly" in New Jersey.
De Nino appeared on the A&E series during season two in 2015, when he was paired with Jessica Castro. The pair agreed to say "I do" after meeting at the altar and stayed together on Decision Day, but later divorced once the season ended.
What is a glioblastoma
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 diagnosis, and the average lifespan is between 14 and 16 months, according to figures. Three adults per every 100,000 are struck down with a glioblastoma, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. It is most commonly found in men aged 50 to 60, and there is no link between developing glioblastoma and having a previous history of other cancers.
