Christian rapper and three-time Grammy winner Toby Mac took to Twitter Sunday to thank the public for its support following the unexpected death of his oldest child and to extol the importance of faith and community.
“As we enter this week of Thanksgiving we have something we’d like to share… Such overwhelming love has surrounded us this last month,” Mac posted. “We still don’t quite know which end is up but we do KNOW, we are loved. As we mourn our firstborn son, God has poured out His love on us through people. He has loved us through you … your kind acts and words and prayers and thoughts and songs and poems and teachings and gifts and meals and time and expertise and travel have made death bearable.”
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving we have something we’d like to share… Such overwhelming love has surrounded us this last month. We still don’t quite know which end is up but we do KNOW, we are loved. As we mourn our firstborn son, God has poured out His love on us (cont.) pic.twitter.com/eDxuDCV1AS
— TobyMac (@tobymac) November 24, 2019
As Christian Headlines previously reported, Truett Foster McKeehan, 21, died Oct. 23 at his Nashville home. No cause of death has been reported, though authorities said an autopsy would be performed. Mac was touring in Canada at the time of his son’s death and has since cancelled all touring for the rest of the year.
The family has also established the Truett Foster Foundation to raise money for college scholarships, according to the Tennessean.
“Too many children do not have the financial ability to pursue their dreams,” the donation website said. “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.”
Mac’s lengthy post included photos from Truett’s burial service, including a shot of pallbearers wearing red hoodies with the word “Shiloh” across the front. Shiloh was one of the pseudonyms used by the aspiring rapper. He also used TRU, Moxie and truDog. Just days before his death, Truett performed his first live show, according to a post on his Instagram account.
“Last night it all kinda came together … thank you to everyone who has supported me through the thick and thin,” Truett wrote at the time.
A month later, his grieving dad was issuing his own thank you via social media.
“You have been God’s light to us in our darkest days – A comfort to our broken hearts. We have experienced family at every layer and every turn,” his Sunday post continued. “From the closest to those who have loved from a distance, thank you, thank you a thousand times over. We are grateful for your gentle and compassionate hearts. It is something we will never forget. Community as it should be … the body at its best. How God must be pleased!
“Also, we’ve been encouraging ourselves to stand on this … the place of death is actually where all that we believe is most significant. That God has the power to do what he promised, defeat death and give life to anyone who believes. So from the valley of the shadow of death we pray a flood of thankfulness will rise this week. Thankfulness to a kind God who is not afraid.”
Mac closed out the post by talking about God’s provision.
“The Father of the Heavenly lights … who shines most beautifully in the darkness, and gives us everything we need.”
Photo courtesy: TobyMac Facebook
