Just two weeks before he passed away, Toby Keith’s last interview aired on television.
He sat down with Rebecca Marsh of Oklahoma City’s News 9 and spoke at length about everything from his health, his faith, his family, and his iconic career.
In the interview, Keith famously said he was “comfortable with whatever happened.”
And this was because of his faith. He said, “I had my brain wrapped around it and I was in a good spot either way. People without faith don’t have that.”
Watch Toby Keith’s Final Interview
Towards the end of the interview, Marsh asked Keith where he was at in his cancer battle.
“It’s always a rollercoaster,” he said. Then, without even meaning to, gave advice to those battling cancer.
“If you’re gonna live with treatments and things, whatever you find that works for you that holds it at bay,” he said. “You just do it. As long as I don’t shrivel up as a prune and hit the dirt, and I have energy, I’m gonna try to go.”
Toby continued, “You don’t ever cure it. Everybody has it. Everybody has it, it just goes into remission. But you gotta captain your own ship. I’m not gonna let this define what my future is.”
Marsh then asked him if he had anything to tell people.
He replied, “Cancer’s an island that sits out in the middle of the lake with other islands. We know that’s cancer island. You’re on your boat and don’t want to look at cancer island, then suddenly you’re shipwrecked on it, and you realize just how many other people really have cancer. I would tell anybody, especially if they’re given a chance to fight it. Some people don’t even get the opportunity.”
He had one last piece of advice: “You really have to be in control of your ship. You have to be as well-read as you could be, and do what’s best for you. It ain’t always chemo, it ain’t always radiation, it ain’t always surgery, but that’s the protocol. That’s what they tell you to do….If you have faith, lean on your faith. And never give up, just keep crankin’ on it.”
Watch Toby give advice to those who are battling cancer below.