Toby Keith’s son Stelen shares touching message about his dad: ‘I love you cowboy’

Toby Keith’s son Stelen Covel paid touching tribute to his beloved father following his death at age 62, calling the legendary country crooner “the best mentor a man could ask for.”

“You are the strongest man I have ever known. A fighter. A true titan of your industry. My guiding star. My coach. My hero,” Covel wrote alongside a photo of him as a child in the pool with his late dad on Instagram Thursday.

“An embodiment of the American Spirit,” he continued. “You are a man whose strength, prowess, and talent could only be trumped by his ability to be a father and husband. Your impact is forever stamped on the world and on millions of people, yet not one person knew you the way I did.”

“You were my biggest champion and the guiding light in my darkest times. The best mentor a man could ask for,” Covel penned.

“You held a passion that was greater than mountains and it radiates through every lyric and chord. In the everlasting echo from the legacy of your music, you leave me strength and faith to lean on in the silence that follows.”

“You truly did it your way, from the starting gates to the finish line, and never apologized for it. The only thing I truly ever wanted in life was to make you proud. I promise I will continue to make you proud,” he added.

“It’s not goodbye forever; it’s just goodbye for now. I love you cowboy. 🤠 🤍.”

The “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer’s death was announced earlier this week in a post shared on his official social media account.

“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family,” the post read. “He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”

The “Made in America” hitmaker, who revealed his diagnosis in 2021, opened up about his stomach cancer battle just two weeks before his death.

“I was going through all the chemo, radiation, surgery, and I got to the point where I was comfortable with whatever happened. I had my brain wrapped around it, and I was in a good spot either way,” he told Oklahoma’s News 9. 

The crooner praised his wife, Tricia Lucus, for being “the best nurse” as he underwent treatment.

In addition to his son Stelen, the music legend is survived by his wife and daughters Shelley and Krystal. He also leaves behind four grandchildren.