'He Was My Hero': Toby Keith's Daughter Pays Heartfelt Tribute for the First Time Since His Death

Toby Keith passed away on February 5 and tributes for the late singer have since poured in from family, friends, and colleagues. Among them is one from his daughter, Krystal.

In an emotionally charged tribute on Instagram, Toby Keith's daughter, Krystal, shared a heartfelt message honoring her late father. The post, filled with personal reflections and a cherished photo of the two on stage together, has since garnered a significant outpouring of support from fans and friends alike.

Comments from fans reflect the deep impact Toby had not only on his family but also on his wider community. One of Toby's employees expressed, "I'm so heartbroken for you and your family. Working for your dad for the past 27 years has been nothing but a true honor." A fan shared, "This broke my heart to read."

Another added a personal story of inspiration, "When I was 8 years old I received a signed autograph and signed CD from Toby, he was a huge reason why I enlisted in the military as an adult."

In another tribute, which Krystal posted while her father was still alive in September last year, Krystal opened up about her father's multifaceted life, "He has been my ICON since day 1 and in the last 6 months he has been honored with not one but 2 Icon Awards for the work he dedicated his life to."

But it was her poignant words in the second tribute that encapsulated the profound loss, "He was my hero," Krystal wrote, emphasizing the personal heroism her father embodied beyond his public persona.

The depth of their bond and the magnitude of her loss were palpable as she recounted the cherished moments, "I am so lucky to have had him and so grateful he got to walk me down the aisle and meet my babies." She also shared her love for him and said nobody could be more proud of him than she is.

As previously reported on February 6:

Mere hours ago, the public learned of the sad news that country star Toby Keith had died. The 62-year-old beloved musician passed yesterday, February 5. Toby's fans have been left heartbroken by the news and took to social media to pay respects to the late artist. A statement detailing Toby's demise was posted to his official Instagram account.

In the message, it was mentioned that Toby, who was battling stomach cancer, died "peacefully" and was "surrounded by his family." The Instagram post also stated that "he fought his fight with grace and courage."

Upon seeing the post, one fan expressed, "We love you, Toby. I'm so devastated. Your music will l[i]ve on forever, legend ❤️." Similarly, another wrote, "My heart is broken...Thank you for sharing yourself with the world 😢❤️."

Another fan addressed the singer's family: his wife, Tricia Lucus; his daughters, Krystal Keith, and Shelley Covel Rowland; and his son, Stelen Keith Covel. The fan commented, "Rest in peace, Toby. Sending prayers to his family. This is such sad news, but you were a blessing and fought it out until the end like the legend you are." Someone else wrote, "God bless his family through this hard time 😢."

Before the "Don't Let The Old Man In" singer died, he briefly spoke to a media outlet about his cancer. He discussed how he felt good that day he was giving the interview but also disclosed, "It's a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days, and you know, you're up and down [...] It's always zero to 60 and 60 to zero."

Days before his passing, Toby shared two last videos on his social media page. In one, he reflected on the first song he wrote when he was 14 or 15. The other video showed Toby entertaining a vast crowd as he performed for them onstage.

With his death, Toby Keith leaves his incredible legacy in the hands of his grieving family, who have asked the public to respect their privacy during this significantly painful time.

As previously reported on June 8, 2023:

Country star Toby Keith worried his fans when he announced that he was taking a break from music to deal with his stomach cancer diagnosis in June 2022. The singer said he was undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery and needed time to rest. Keith explained that he would use this time to get back on his feet and spend time with his family.

In December 2022, Keith made his first public appearance since announcing his diagnosis. The country star was positive that he would be back on stage soon.

However, he admitted that his body was strained."It is pretty debilitating to have to go through all that, but as long as everything stays hunky-dory, then we will look at something good in the future," he said. The "Red Solo Cup" singer shared a picture promoting children's health on his Instagram, which concerned fans due to his appearance.

The singer had evidently lost weight, and many were worried about his cancer battle. Some found the weight loss concerning, while others thought Keith looked good. One person said, "You have lost so much weight. Prayers for you dear Toby."

Another expressed, "Please tell me Toby is ok? This picture is most disturbing." Someone else stated, "So thin. I hope you are getting better." Another social media user commented, "Wow he's lost a lot of weight. But still looks great. Keep fighting my friend." Most commenters saw the drastic change in Keith's appearance as worrying and reckoned that the stomach cancer was taking a toll on his body.

Some could not even bear the singer's sight and wanted reassurance that he was fine. Nonetheless, his supporters kept him in their prayers and encouraged him to fight. "Omg, I just saw this. He looks nothing like he once did. Ripping my heart out. I pray he pulls through this," wrote a worried user.

To see Keith still smiling and doing his charitable work gave many fans hope that he would defeat cancer, even though it was so scary to see him in his new body that fans thought it was "disturbing."