Ten months after his wife passed away, a widower found the strength to open the last letter she wrote for him before she died. After reading her heartbreaking confession, he quickly decided to take a paternity test.
On November 29, 2021, a sad widower found comfort in the “Off My Chest” subreddit, sharing his deep sadness. He wasn’t looking for advice but received support from others who reminded him that it was okay to cry about what his wife had done.
The man and his wife had a happy four-year marriage. They loved their time together, and the birth of their son made them even happier. But life took a tragic turn for them.
His Late Wife’s Letter
The widower’s wife passed away ten months before he shared his story on Reddit. Heartbroken and feeling lost, he found the strength to keep going. Even in his sadness, he promised to be a caring father to his 4-year-old son.
As time went on, things began to feel a little more normal for him. His son became his whole world, and he couldn’t imagine life without their bond. During this time, he found the last letter his wife wrote for him. He had known about the letter but didn’t have the courage to read it until ten months later.
After finally reading the letter, he was in shock. It took him a long time to process what he had learned from her honest words.
In the letter, his wife revealed that she had gotten very drunk at her bachelorette party and had a one-night stand with a stranger. As a result, she became pregnant, and now he was left unsure if their son was really his, since this happened just days before their wedding.
Receiving Online Support and Putting His Life Back Together
“I am so incredibly sorry. I know how much this hurts. Your feelings are valid,” wrote one Reddit user. The widower thanked the person and said he planned to take a long drive to clear his mind and deal with his emotions.
“Driving can help. Just make sure to stay safe and enjoy the music,” another user suggested.
Meanwhile, he felt relieved to leave his son at his parents’ home but worried about how he would feel when they were together again. When his son came back home, the father was nervous about how to react.
Deep down, he loved his son, but he was scared that he would see him differently after learning the truth about his wife. When he saw his son, he quickly ran to him and hugged him tightly as if he hadn’t seen him in years. His son hugged him back, showing how happy he was to be with his dad.
The widower felt overwhelmed and almost cried in his son’s arms as he tried to come to terms with his wife’s betrayal. He was determined that his son would always be his son and that their bond would stay the same.
Trace Adkins Reflects on Toby Keith’s Patriotic Legacy, Delivering an Emotional Rendition of ‘American Soldier’
Adkins said, quoting Keith, “Never apologize for being patriotic,” from the platform.
On July 29, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, Trace Adkins takes the stage at Bridgestone Arena. Image courtesy of Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for Universal Music Group
In the two-hour NBC program Toby Keith: American Icon, Trace Adkins paid a moving homage to Toby Keith, recalling their many years of traveling together and the significant influence Keith had via his patriotism.
Adkins was one of the few artists that really know Toby Keith and the man behind the scenes, having been friends with Keith for many years and going on tours with. Adkins paused to remember the poignant message that Keith conveyed at the conclusion of each of his live performances before giving an incredibly emotional and beautiful rendition of “American Solider” in honor of Keith and his dedication to the military.
“I’ve known Toby for a very long time, and we did a lot of gigs together while on multiple tours together. I seem to recall that at the end of each performance he gave, he would always say, “Never apologize for being patriotic.” Every night, he said that, Adkins noted. And since, my God, he really did believe that, I realized while he was saying it that it was both a challenge to the rest of us and a window into Toby Keith’s personality.
Keith lived what he preached, and Adkins praised him for it. Keith had undertaken 11 USO Tours, performing in front of 256,000 soldiers and military families in 18 nations at over 285 engagements.
“He had a deep-rooted love and respect for the men and women who have served this country.” It was real, authentic, and meaningful. With a rich, baritone voice, he remarked, “I always respected him so much for that.” “Toby is someone I could talk about all night, but for now I’ll just say that I’m glad I got to know him and call him a friend. We miss you, Toby. Thank you.
Trace Adkins performed “American Solider” in a terrifying manner a short while later. On the screen behind him, pictures of Toby Keith and his numerous USO Tours displayed during his performance. Toby Keith: American Icon gave a truly remarkable performance, and it was undoubtedly an emotional time.
Written by Keith and Chuck Cannon, “American Solider” was published in November 2003. It can be found on the album Hi Shock’n Y’all and has an RIAA Platinum certification.
Among the many famous country musicians that gave their all to pay tribute to the late Toby Keith was Trace Adkins. Priscilla Block, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jordan Davis, Scotty Emerick, Brett Favre, Brantley Gilbert, Riley Green, HARDY, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Krystal Keith, Ella Langley, Mac McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Leanne Morgan, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, and Lainey Wilson were among the performers and special guests on the two-hour special.
The special featured a variety of musical performances that showcased Keith’s amazing songwriting and music, but it also emphasized his kindness and generosity by supporting The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Families from both groups seemed to tell the stories of how they were helped and supported when things were really hard.
NBC broadcast Toby Keith: American Icon on Wednesday, August 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The next day, Peacock will offer the episode for streaming.
On February 5, 2024, the legendary country music performer Toby Keith departed from this life due to stomach cancer. He had an astounding 32 No. 1 hits over his career and sold an astounding 40 million albums.
Given that he has achieved a chart-topping hit for 20 years running, including “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American),” “I Love This Bar,” “Beer For My Horses,” and “As Good As I Once Was,” it should come as no surprise that he is considered one of country music’s biggest hitmakers.
In addition to being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (after being admitted into the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015), he has been awarded the National Medal of Arts and the prestigious Merle Haggard Spirit Award by the Academy of Country Music.
The Oklahoma native won three BMI Country Songwriter of the Year awards over his career in addition to the BMI Icon Award. In 2006, his popular song “As Good As I Once Was” won BMI’s Country Song of the Year.
To date, Toby Keith’s music has received 100 million terrestrial radio spins and over 10 billion streaming.
Leave a Reply