TobyMac’s Son Truett McKeehan Died of an Accidental Drug Overdose

TobyMac’s Son Died of an Accidental Overdose

By Jessilyn Lancaster, Managing Editor

Truett Foster McKeehan, son of Christian music artist Toby McKeehan, aka TobyMac, died of an accidental drug overdose, according to autopsy results.

Davidson County Medical Examiner Feng Li ruled McKeehan’s cause of death to be “acute combined drug intoxication” stemming from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and amphetamines.

Family spokesperson Velvet Kelm confirmed the results.

McKeehan was pronounced dead at his home in October 2019.

According to The Tennessean, McKeehan’s toxicology findings show he had 8.7 nanograms per milliliter of blood of fentanyl in his system and 7.9 nanograms per milliliter of blood of metabolized fentanyl in his system. Furthermore, Li wrote that McKeehan had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as possible nitrous oxide use. Nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas.  He was discovered unresponsive in bed by a friend conducting a welfare check on Oct. 23. A toxicology report also found McKeehan had Adderall and marijuana among other drugs in his system at the time of death.

TobyMac penned a musical tribute to his son in the song “21 Years,” which may have alluded to McKeehan’s addiction:

You said you’d turn, you would turn it around (Turn it around)
Thought that you had time to straighten it out (Straighten it out)
Told me that you were my prodigal son
But this isn’t home

Did he see You from a long way off (Did he see you?)
Runnin’ to him with a father’s heart? (Runnin’ to him)
Did You wrap him up inside Your arms
And let him know that he’s home?
Did he see You from a long way off
Runnin’ to him with a father’s heart?
Did You wrap him up inside Your arms
And let him know that he’s home?
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Please pray for the McKeehan family as they process this information. Also, please pray for the countless families affected by drug and opiate addiction in the United States.

 

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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. He expressed himself through the music he made. And by made I mean, written, recorded, produced, mixed, and designed the art. All of it. A true artist. His first show was a week ago, and it was nothing short of electric. Everyone felt it, everyone knew it. He could’ve easily taken the easy route and put music out when he was 12, 14, 16, even 18, but he always said he wanted to live some life and have something to say before he did it. He didn’t want to be a child star, he wanted to be a man with scars and a story to tell. I always admired, respected and encouraged that stand. Truett always had a soft spot for God. 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. My last moment with Truett in person was at his first show this past Thursday at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee. I had to leave the next morning very early to fly and start our Canadian tour. 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. 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. Our last text exchange is shared above (swipe). 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.

A post shared by TobyMac (@tobymac) on Oct 24, 2019 at 2:26pm PDT