Toby Keith’s Son Stelen Shares Emotional Tribute to Late Father After Death: ‘My Hero’

Toby Keith’s son, Stelen Covel, shared a touching tribute to the late country singer days after his death at 62 on Monday, February 5.

“You are the strongest man I have ever known. A fighter. A true titan of your industry. My guiding star. My coach. My hero. An embodiment of the American Spirit,” he captioned a throwback photo with his father on Instagram on Thursday, February 8. “You are a man whose strength, prowess and talent could only be trumped by his ability to be a father and husband.”

“Your impact is forever stamped on the world and on millions of people, yet not one person knew you the way I did. You were my biggest champion and the guiding light in my darkest times. The best mentor a man could ask for,” Stelen, 26, added. “You held a passion that was greater than mountains and it radiates through every lyric and chord. In the everlasting echo from the legacy of your music, you leave me strength and faith to lean on in the silence that follows.”

“You truly did it your way, from the starting gates to the finish line, and never apologized for it,” Stelen’s tribute post concluded. “The only thing I truly ever wanted in life was to make you proud. I promise I will continue to make you proud. It’s not goodbye forever; it’s just goodbye for now. I love you cowboy.”

Keith publicly shared his stomach cancer diagnosis in June 2022. At the time, he was receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. “Thank you to you all for the kind words and prayers regarding my dad’s announcement yesterday,” Keith’s only son penned on Instagram following the initial diagnosis announcement. “He’s a fighter, has done all the measures to mitigate it and needs rest to get back to his self.”

The “Red Solo Cup” crooner appeared at the People’s Choice Country Awards to accept the Country Icon Award in September 2023, just months before his death. In addition to Stelen, Keith was a dad to daughters Shelley and Krystal, whom he shared with his wife, Tricia Lucus. He was also a grandfather to four grandkids.

Upon hearing the news of his death, country music’s biggest stars paid tribute to Keith’s life and award-winning career.

“Even though I knew about your battle these last few months I still never imagined this day. Anyone who knew you knows what I mean. You were the toughest man I ever met,” his longtime friend Blake Shelton wrote on X. “Thank you brother for being a friend, a hero and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith.”