Toby Keith's family is speaking out about the one-year anniversary of his passing. In a heartfelt social media post, Keith's loved ones open up about how life has been like in the year since he passed away from stomach cancer.
"We can't believe it's been a year since the world lost Toby,' the family writes. "We have a hole in our heart and our lives. The love and support from the community that Toby created has left us all thankful and grateful. It has and continues to honor Toby. We know he would be proud of the legacy he left behind. Today we hope you will celebrate and listen to his music with us, where we know he is smiling down and raising his cup. A toast to a life well lived."
Keith's daughter, Krystal Keith, also shared her thoughts on the loss of the country music icon.
"It feels like yesterday we said goodbye and yet it somehow has also been the longest year without him," she writes. "I can't help but find gratitude in all the time we had because we did all of life as a family unit. It's hard to find a candid picture where he doesn't have one of our babies in his arms. He was their favorite, and they were his. Our littles miss their buddy big time but we all know we will see him again someday.
"Until then, he will watch over us and walk beside us," she continues, sharing photos of Keith throughout the years. "Every sunset (and he LOOOOVED his sunsets) is a reminder that he wants us to live our best life and do good in the world. So that's exactly is what we will do."
Toby Keith's Legacy
Keith was just 62 years old when he passed away from stomach cancer. The singer was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, less than a year after he passed away. Alabama's Randy Owen officially inducted Keith.
"This is about a man that I dearly loved, and I always felt like he dearly loved me, and he truly cared about me," Owen said during the ceremony. "When we were filming the CMT Giants, I was doing real good, until I went around and saw his name on a dressing room, knowing that he couldn't be there. That's how much I felt like he loved me, and the group, Alabama. So I'll always be thankful to Toby for caring so much. He was absolutely emphatic that he was going to make that taping, even though his health didn't allow him to ... He loved his country, he loved his family. He proved that over and over again."
