Honestly, if you've ever belt out the lyrics to "Believer" or "Demons" by Imagine Dragons, you've probably felt that raw, gritty emotion they put into every note. But behind the music is a story much deeper than just a catchy hook. Most fans know about Tyler Robinson—the "ordinary" 16-year-old from Sandy, Utah, who became the heartbeat of the band’s charitable mission. But there's a question that often pops up when people see the impact of his life: who are tyler robinson's parents?
The answer isn't just a couple of names on a foundation’s board of directors. It's about two people, Brent and Shannon Robinson, who turned a parent's worst nightmare into a lifeline for thousands of other families.
The Couple Who Inspired a Movement
Brent and Shannon Robinson were just your typical parents in Utah until 2011. That's when their world was flipped upside down. Their son, Tyler, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive stage 4 soft tissue cancer.
You can imagine the scene. One day your kid is worrying about high school and music, and the next, you're sitting in a sterile hospital room talking about 20 rounds of chemotherapy. Brent and Shannon have often described Tyler as an "ordinary" teen, but their own strength in the face of his diagnosis was anything but.
While Tyler was the one fighting the physical battle, his parents were the ones holding the line. They were the ones who sent that fateful message to Imagine Dragons, telling the band how their song "It's Time" was helping Tyler push through the "miles of clouded hell" of his treatments.
Turning Grief Into Action
Tyler actually beat the cancer once. He was declared cancer-free after a brutal year of treatment. But life is rarely a straight line, is it? In early 2013, he unexpectedly slipped into a coma. The cancer had moved to his brain. He passed away on March 4, 2013, at just 17 years old.
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Most people would shut down. You'd expect them to. But shortly after Tyler's passing, the band reached out to Brent and Shannon. They didn't want Tyler’s name to just be a memory; they wanted it to be a movement. Together, they launched the Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF).
Shannon Robinson once said something that really sticks with you: "I’d always thought, 'OK, good people care about their children. Great people care about other people's children.'" That mindset is exactly how TRF became what it is today.
What Tyler Robinson's Parents Actually Do
So, what does this look like in the real world? It's not just about fancy galas and red carpets. Brent and Shannon, along with Tyler’s siblings—including his brother Jesse, who originally reached out to the band—have kept the foundation focused on the "invisible" costs of cancer.
When a child gets sick, the medical bills are only half the story. There's the rent that doesn't get paid because a parent had to quit their job to be at the bedside. There are the utility bills that pile up while you're driving 300 miles for a specialist appointment.
- Financial Advising: The foundation assigns advisors to families to help them navigate the mess.
- Direct Grants: They cover things like childcare, travel costs, and even funeral expenses when the worst happens.
- A Support Network: They’ve built a community where families don't have to feel like they're fighting in the dark.
Basically, the Robinsons used their own experience of loss to map out exactly where other families would need help the most.
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Clearing Up the Confusion: A Tale of Two Tylers
It’s worth mentioning something kinda weird that happens on the internet lately. If you’ve been searching for information about who are tyler robinson's parents, you might have stumbled across some very different—and much darker—news stories.
There is another Tyler Robinson (Tyler James Robinson) from Washington, Utah, who was recently involved in a high-profile legal case in 2025. This Tyler's parents are Matt and Amber Denise Robinson.
It’s a totally different family.
It’s one of those "internet glitches" where names overlap and things get messy. The Tyler Robinson associated with Imagine Dragons and the TRF is the one whose parents, Brent and Shannon, have spent the last decade-plus helping kids with cancer.
Why Their Story Still Matters in 2026
It’s been over ten years since Tyler passed away, but the foundation is bigger than ever. Just recently, their annual fundraisers have been bringing in millions of dollars. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because Brent and Shannon Robinson stayed "in the arena," as Teddy Roosevelt would say.
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They didn't just put their names on a letterhead. They’ve been active in the community, working alongside Dan Reynolds and the rest of the band to make sure that "slaying dragons" isn't just a metaphor for a hit song—it's a reality for families facing pediatric cancer.
If you’re looking to support the cause or if you’re a family going through this right now, the best move is to head straight to the source. You can check out the Tyler Robinson Foundation website to see exactly how they’re using donations or to apply for support if you need it.
You can also look into the "Believer Gala" which happens annually. It’s the big event where the Robinson family and the band get together to celebrate the wins and raise the funds that keep the lights on for families in crisis.
Honestly, the biggest takeaway from looking into who Tyler Robinson's parents are isn't just a couple of names. It’s the reminder that even when things feel like "clouded hell," there are people out there making sure you don't have to walk through it alone.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to honor the legacy Brent and Shannon built, consider signing up for the TRF newsletter or looking into their "Legacy Series" on YouTube. It features Tyler's story in his own words and gives a much deeper look at the family's journey than any quick search ever could.