Home Christian News TobyMac Starts Foundation in Son’s Honor: ‘Dreams Are So Important’

TobyMac Starts Foundation in Son’s Honor: ‘Dreams Are So Important’

truett mckeehan

Christian rapper TobyMac has started a foundation in honor of his son, Truett McKeehan, who died suddenly last week at the age of 21. The foundation will benefit children who do not have the money to pursue their love of music.

“Too many children do not have the financial ability to pursue their dreams,” says the foundation’s website. “We want to use this fund to help kids do just that: to get an education—to pursue music—to get the chance to chase their dreams. Truett would love that.”

Inspired by Truett McKeehan

The McKeehan family has launched the Truett Foster Foundation in partnership with the Global Orphan Foundation, a nonprofit that works to “care for children [that] the world’s left behind and prevent child abandonment.” TobyMac made the announcement Tuesday in a Facebook post, saying the foundation is inspired by Truett’s dedication to pursuing his own dreams: “Truett Foster McKeehan had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match. Since the age of 12, he knew he wanted to make music.” 

According to USA Today, funds donated to the foundation will go toward college scholarships with the hope that the kids who receive them will use their musical talents to serve God and others.

Truett McKeehan’s Sudden Passing

Truett McKeehan passed away early last week at home in the Nashville area. Officials are still investigating the cause of his death, although The Heavy reports he suffered cardiac arrest and authorities do not suspect foul play. 

Truett was an aspiring rapper who was pursuing a career in L.A. His stage names included Truett Foster, Shiloh and Tru. Shortly after the tragic news broke, TobyMac issued a statement saying that his son was a “true artist” who hated being put in a box. “His first show was a week ago, and it was nothing short of electric,” wrote the singer, who was present at the show. TobyMac described it as “the culminating moment of a dream that [Truett] had since he was 12.”

Even though TobyMac acknowledged that “Our music, and what we say lyrically couldn’t be more different,” he added “the outcome was much the same… offering a room full of people a few minutes of joy in a crazy world.” Truett was not a “cookie cutter Christian,” said his father, but he did have a “soft spot for God.” 

“Give me a believer who fights to keep believing,” he wrote. “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.”

TobyMac emphasized that he and his wife, Amanda, want everyone to know that while they are grieving, they are also trusting in God’s faithfulness: “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.”

The Christian rapper included the last two lines of his statement in his announcement about Truett’s foundation: “He is the God of the hills and the valleys. And He is beautiful above all things.”