By Bernadette A. Sahm

It has been a few months since the passing of Country Music Star Toby Keith. I have been waiting to write about his grace in death and a life well lived. I am a fan. My family attended a concert years ago with our twins when they were just teens. Toby came to Baltimore City while on tour more than 15 years ago. We purchased his music and t-shirts, we listened to his music. He opened at an awards show in Nashville that we attended. Toby always seemed bigger than life and most often had a grin and a smile on his face. Toby Keith seemed like a happy guy, and he was living his dream life.

Not long after Covid-19 he reappeared looking like a shell of himself. I barely recognized him and had to do a double-take. Turned out he was suffering with stomach cancer that eventually took his life. He was just 62 years old and was married for 40 years and together they had children. You never heard of any scandals with him and most everyone said he was a great guy. Tim McGraw said he was “a really, really good guy” and just a few days ago at a Gary Allan concert, Gary called him a “legend” and played a tribute to him.

Again, I am a fan, just a fan but for some reason his death really hit me hard. Maybe it’s because we are close in age, maybe because I liked him and thought he had so much to live for but maybe it was also how he shared his last few days here on earth.

People tend not to talk much about death and certainly not about their own death. But … go to YouTube and type Toby Keith and Hospice. This video came across my social media feed and again it made me do a double-take and almost took my breath away. I cried. He was so thin and so vulnerable and so honest and truly humble. Toby knew he was close to the end and in his words made peace with it. He was concerned about his wife and his family. He knew they would miss him.

The grace Toby Keith showed and the faith he shared, and his honesty were heart wrenching. In his illness the last few years it wasn’t just the weight loss that caught my attention but that ever-present smile he happily adorned was since replace what looked like the weight of the world. He was serious and he was somber. We all share in the knowledge that one day it will be our death day too. I can only hope and pray that I handle my own with as much grace, faith, and pure class that he did.

Rest in Peace Toby Keith aka “Big Dog Daddy” you gave us all a lot of joy in your music and lessons in your death. My prayers continue for his wife, kids, and entire family.

Connect with Bernadette on Facebook at http://www.bernadetteamoyer.com

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