Treasured country star Toby Keith passed away on Feb. 5, 2024 after more than two years battling cancer.
The singer reportedly passed peacefully, surrounded by his family, after a too-brief battle with stomach cancer. He left behind a legion of fans, a slew of award-winning songs, and a clear mark on the world of both music and politics. An unabashedly political musician, Keith often worked patriotism and pro-military sentiments into his songs, which won him many of his fans — and nearly all of his detractors.
Still, through three decades of musical releases, a feud with the Dixie Chicks (now known simply as the Chicks), and throwing his full support behind former President Donald Trump, Keith’s career has hardly slowed down. He remained, up until his death, one of the wealthiest country stars alive, and its all thanks to the memorable music he’s released over 30 years on the music scene.
When did Tobey Keith get his diagnosis?
Keith battled stomach cancer for years ahead of his 2024 death, but reportedly ditched chemo a few months before the end. Its not uncommon for cancer patients to do so, once the treatment becomes ineffective, given the strain it puts on the body.
For those last few months, fans are ardently hoping Keith lived a peaceful, happy life with his family. It would be a fitting final chapter to his spectacular life, which saw Keith ascend as one of country’s biggest stars. He’d been fighting his diagnosis for a good while by the time he ditched chemo, after first receiving news of his stomach cancer in 2021.
Keith was diagnosed with gastric cancer in the fall of 2021, and he fought it quietly in the background for right around six months before announcing it to his fans. He informed his followers via dual posts on Instagram and Twitter, where he noted that he was spending as much time as he could with his family, but was looking forward to seeing his fans soon.
Keith battled his stomach cancer for more than two years before succumbing to his diagnosis in early 2024. He was 62.