Earlier today, the Christian world was shocked to learn that Christian rapper TobyMac had suffered a severe loss. A representative of the McKeehan family said their oldest son, Truett Foster McKeehan, died either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Now, TobyMac (Kevin McKeehan), has issued a statement about his son’s passing. It is as much a lovely tribute to a beloved son as it is a heartbreaking commentary on a life taken too soon.
“He had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match,” TobyMac wrote in the statement he gave to USA Today.
Remembering Truett Foster McKeehan
Truett aspired to follow in his father’s artistic footsteps and was working on creating his own music. TobyMac said that his son didn’t want to be a child star or do something like take the easy road to fame. Instead of releasing an album at a young age, TobyMac said his son wanted to “live some life and have something to say” before he made music. “He wanted to be a man with scars and a story to tell,” TobyMac wrote. This was a position TobyMac supported, along with his son’s musical talent. He described Truett as a “true artist” who wrote, recorded, produced, mixed, and designed the art for his songs.
The husband and father of five described his eldest son as full of joy and “a magnetic son and brother and friend.” As far as his son’s faith, TobyMac said Truett had a “soft spot for God,” even though he wasn’t a “cookie cutter Christian.”
Truett always had a soft spot for God. The Bible moved him. His heart was warm to the things of his King. He was by no means a cookie cutter Christian but give me a believer who fights to keep believing. Give me a broken man who recognizes his need for a Savior every time. That’s who Truett was and how he should be remembered.
The Christian rapper, who rushed home to be with his family earlier this week while he was on tour in Canada, recalls the last time he saw his son.
My last moment with Truett in person was at his first show this past Thursday at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee. I had to leave the next morning very early to fly and start our Canadian tour. As I stood in the audience and watched my son bring joy to a room, I was as proud as a “pop” (as tru called me) could be. It was the culminating moment of a dream that he had since he was 12. It couldn’t have been sweeter. Our music, and what we say lyrically couldn’t be more different, but the outcome was much the same… offering a room full of people a few minutes of joy in a crazy world.
TobyMac also included a picture of their last text exchange, in which the father expressed how proud he was of Truett. The exchange read:
TobyMac:
“I wanted to tell you how proud I was of you last night…Your show was amazing and I think you got the “it” factor which is very important but unexplainable. your joy is infectious and you invite people into it… But one more thing I was very very very proud of you when you went down and stood on the front row after most people left you watched Nathan show from the front row and encouraged him… That kind of thing right there will take you farther than great art… God doesn’t miss those things like he notices things like that and blesses us I promise.”
Truett replied:
“Love you Dad
Thank you so much
you have always believed in me
make me feel like a superhero”
At the end of his statement, TobyMac shared a bit about the grief he and his family are experiencing. He encouraged those who may be questioning why a good God would allow something like this to happen with these words:
My wife and I would want the world to know this…
We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under the table deal with Him, like we’ll follow you if you bless us. We follow God because we love Him. It’s our honor.
He is the God of the hills and the valleys.
And He is beautiful above all things.
