• Country music icon Toby Keith faced stomach cancer with grace, emphasizing faith as his source of strength every day.
• In his final days, he continued performing and spreading positivity, noting that he didn’t want cancer to control his future.
• Despite his battle, Toby’s generosity and faith remained unwavering, leaving a lasting legacy of kindness and resilience.

Toby Keith was a talented country music singer whose hits such as “Don’t Let The Old Man In” and “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” captivated and resonated with his numerous fans. Toby was also married to Tricia Lucus, and they had three kids, Krystal, Stelen, and Shelley Covey.

The talented singer and songwriter died on February 5, 2023, after a battle with stomach cancer. His family said in a statement shared on Instagram that Toby fought his fight with grace and courage.

The singer’s loved ones asked people to respect their privacy as they mourned Toby, a father to his kids and a husband and cherished longtime companion to Tricia. As much as Toby had a busy career, he loved spending time with his kids and wife.

Toby and Tricia Lucus got married nearly 40 years ago and celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary before the singer’s death. The couple adopted their first daughter, Shelley Covel Rowland, who was born in 1980. They later welcomed Krystal Keith in 1985 and Stelen Keith in 1997.

Toby, who cherished his kids, said in an interview in 2021 that “everybody in the family is good.” He added that he was brought up by good parents and had terrific kids who didn’t have any issues at all. “They all grew up with me being successful, but they are not hooked on that part of the business,” he revealed.

Toby has now left behind his loved ones after he died of cancer. The songwriter first announced his cancer diagnosis in June 2022 in an Instagram statement, saying, “Last fall, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation, and surgery.”

The country star told his fans that so far, his treatment was going well, but he emphasized that he needed time to chill, get better, and breathe. Toby looked forward to spending time with his family, and he told his fans he’d see them sooner rather than later.

Despite Toby not receiving a clean bill of health for his cancer, he still performed for his fans a few months before his death. In December 2023, he had three sold-out shows in Las Vegas to end the year.

Days before his demise, the singer also opened up about the first song he ever wrote out of the 5,000 he has in his catalog. “The first song I ever wrote, I was 14 or 15 years old, it was called ‘If You Had an Out of Heartache,'” revealed Toby.

The country crooner noted that the song was structured right and wasn’t bad but that it wasn’t very good either. He added, “But the people round here, when I played it, they were like, ‘Wow! That’s a great song.’ It’s just a song, you know, that was 5,000 songs ago.”

As Toby gave fans a taste of his good music, he also spoke of his health journey battling cancer. The singer, who received the Country Icon Award at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023, admitted that the journey had been “a little of a rollercoaster,” with good and bad days. “It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today,” he said.

In January 2024, Toby gave an interview at his home in Norman, where he fiercely said he wasn’t going to let stomach cancer define what his future would be. At this time, the singer was still in treatment, undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

He opened up, “Cancer is a rollercoaster, so you’re, it’s like you just sit here and wait on it to go away. It may not ever go away.” Toby acknowledged that even if the illness does go away, one will be in remission, and they still have to do scans.

When asked how he was getting through the dark times, the singer answered, “Faith, yeah, you have to have your faith.” Toby continued, “Thank God that I got it, too. You take it for granted on days that things are good, and you lean on it when days are bad, and it’s taught me to lean on a little more every day.”

Toby also mentioned that he had encountered a peace that transcended all understanding. During his treatment, the singer reached a point of acceptance, becoming comfortable with whatever outcome awaited him. “I had my brain wrapped around it, and I was in a good spot either way, so, uh, people without faith don’t have that,” he confessed.

Robin Marsh, who interviewed Toby, also spoke about this interview. She noted how the singer vowed not to let cancer define him and even went ahead to live his life by holding concerts. Robin reiterated that Toby got his strength to fight cancer from his faith, “He said if he didn’t have his faith that he would not make it, and so I mean, uh, he’s a man of faith.”

Robin revealed that one of her friends even told her that when she had an issue, Toby called the friend, and they prayed over the problem. She also divulged that various people have come up on social media, revealing how Toby helped them.

One of these people was a lady who shared how Toby assisted her grandmother at the Women’s College World Series by helping her walk up the stairs.

Robin described Toby, who had his faith since he was a young boy, as generous, noting that he helped people even in treatment and other acts of kindness that weren’t publicized. As much as his body was battling cancer, Toby’s soul and spirit remained strong.

Robin also revealed that Toby once said that if his role were to be a messenger for what God can do in people’s lives, then he would proudly accept it. The singer lived his life to the fullest, proclaiming his faith even in the last month of his time alive.

Now, Toby Keith’s kids, wife, family, loved ones, and fans remember him for the great man he was, his incredible music, and his kind soul.