Toby Keith’s Daughter Reflects On First Father’s Day Since His Death – “Missing Him Big Today”
Toby Keith’s Legacy Lives On Through His Three Children – Shelley, Krystal, & Stelen
Toby Keith’s daughters, Shelley and Krystal, and his son, Stelen, are ensuring his legacy lives on after his death.
Toby died on February 5 following a years-long battle with stomach cancer. He was 62 years old.
Stelen was the first member of Toby’s family to appear in public after his passing. He attended the Country Music Hall of Fame’s inductee announcement ceremony, where it was revealed that Toby will be inducted as this year’s Modern Era inductee.
In April, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen made their first public appearance together since their dad’s death. They attended the 2024 CMT Music Awards, which honored Toby with a tribute medley.
Later, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen joined their mom, Tricia, at the 2024 ACM Awards. Jason Aldean honored Toby during the ceremony with a powerful performance of “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
Toby’s kids have also been busy working with his charity, the OK Kids Korral. The Korral is a cost-free home-away-from-home for pediatric cancer patients receiving treatment in Toby’s home state of Oklahoma.
The Korral meant everything to Toby:
“[The OK Kids Korral is] my best gift I’ve ever given to the world,” he said in his final interview. “One of the first things I thought of when I got cancer was, who’s gonna take care of the Korral? Who will carry that torch?”
The answer…his children. Krystal said she and her siblings have all stepped up at the Korral to “carry the torch” for their dad.
“So, this is one of the things that he looked the most forward to, and I think this is the thing that my siblings and I have discussed being kind of our purpose from this point forward,” she said.
The first Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic since Toby’s death raised a record-breaking $3.1 million for the Korral.
Toby Keith’s Daughter, Krystal, Writes About Missing Him On Father’s Day
Since his passing, Toby’s oldest daughter, Krystal, has honored her father in other ways.
As a lifelong fan of the University of Oklahoma (or OU), Toby was ecstatic when he learned he would receive an honorary degree at the 2024 commencement ceremony. Sadly, Toby died a few months before the ceremony.
So Krystal, who graduated from OU years ago, accepted the degree on her father’s behalf. She delivered a powerful speech, saying:
“My dad taught me everything – singing, writing songs and… most of what I know about life! And I hope the graduates that are here today can learn from him, too. He fought hard to live his dream. He had faith and believed in himself. He never gave up the fight, even when the odds were against him. He would want me to tell you to never give up on yourself. As you start your next journey in life, know that you have strong roots here at the University of Oklahoma. Work hard and be the captain of your own ship. Believe in yourself and live your dream. Thank you for honoring my hero!”
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More recently, Krystal reflected on her first Father’s Day since losing her dad. She shared a photo of her daughters, Hensley and Kirby, kayaking on a beautiful lake.
“Mountain magic cherishing my babies,” Krystal wrote in the caption. “Mountains have always made me remember how small I am in God’s bigger plan. Today is a first that I never wanted to wade through but the life lessons imprinted on me by my dad are a constant reminder that he is walking by my side as I imprint them on my kids. Missing him big today.”
Look below to see Krystal’s post about her first Father’s Day without Toby. Our hearts go out to her and to Toby’s entire family…
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