Christian hip-hop artist Toby Mac tragically lost his 21-year-old son Truett Foster Mckeehan on Wednesday, when the young aspiring rapper died suddenly in his home.
While facing the shocking tragedy, the Grammy Award-winning artist took to Facebook to share a post in memorance of Truett’s life.
In a post to Facebook, the mourning father wrote: “Truett Foster McKeehan had joy that took the room when he entered. He was a magnetic son and brother and friend. If you met him, you knew him, you remembered him. His smile, his laugh, the encouragement he offered with words or even without. He had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match. And he hated being put in a box.”
Truett Foster Mckeehan had joy that took the room when he entered. He was a magnetic son and brother and friend. If you…
Posted by TobyMac on Thursday, October 24, 2019
Mac commended his late son for being “a true artist,” expressing himself through every song he wrote, recorded, produced, and mixed. He credited Truett for not taking the “easy route” in his career by becoming a child star, but instead “he wanted to be a man with scars and a story to tell.”
“Truett always had a soft spot for God,” the grieving father wrote. “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.”
Mac shared that just last week, Truett played his first show at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee, which marked the last day Mac had seen him, as he left for tour the next day.
“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,” the singer wrote. “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.”
Despite the heartache, Mac shared that he and his wife Amanda Levy McKeehan are leaning on God in this time of tragedy.
“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,” Mac wrote.
Christian artists who knew Truett took to Instagram to
Bart Millard, of MercyMe, wrote on Instagram, “My heart hurts so badly for @tobymac and family. Jesus come quickly.
Artist Matthew West shared a photo of Truett and Mac to his page, writing, “@tobymac and his family have lost their son and brother and it’s just so heartbreaking. Toby has lifted so many of us up with his music for so long, may we all return the favor and lift them up right now.”
“My family has stopped a few different times today to pray for this family who is hurting and experiencing unspeakable tragedy,” he added.
Jamie Grace, whom Toby Mac discovered on Youtube in 2010, wrote, “He [Truett] was kind talented, and a joy to be around and I know he will be missed by many.”
“Someday I’ll see you again,” she added.
