Toby Keith’s Daughter Reveals Who Is Stepping Up At OK Kids Korral

If you were to ask Toby Keith what his greatest gift to the world was, his music would not even come close to the answer.

He has said that his work with The Toby Keith Foundation and OK Kids Korral is what he is most proud of.

What is the OK Kids Korral?

OK Kids Korral is a sanctuary designed to provide comfort and support to families with children undergoing cancer treatment. This facility offers a warm, home-like atmosphere where families can stay at no cost while their children receive medical care in Oklahoma City. Since its inception in 2013, OK Kids Korral has become an indispensable haven for families navigating the immense challenges of pediatric cancer.

OK Kids Korral’s core mission is to ease the emotional and financial strain on families facing childhood cancer. By providing a safe and comfortable haven at no cost, the facility enables families to concentrate on their child’s health and recovery, free from the stress of arranging lodging and other logistics. This support is particularly vital for those who travel great distances to seek the necessary treatment for their child.

In the 10 years of the organization’s existence, the Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic has raised over $21 million for OK Kids Korral.

Toby felt his legacy would be the OK Kids Korral, not his music.

In his final interview, which aired shortly before he passed away, Toby even said, “[The OK Kids Korral is] my best gift I’ve ever given to the world. One of the first things I thought of when I got cancer was, who’s gonna take care of the Korral? Who will carry that torch?”

Juliet Nees-Bright executive director of The Toby Keith Foundation, stepped up to the plate for this year’s Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic, which took place May 31-June 1st.

Prior to the 20th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic, Toby’s daughter, Krystal, spoke with Brandy McDonnell of The Oklahoman.

She revealed that she and her siblings, Shelley and Stelen, will be working hand in hand with OK Kids Korral to make sure it stays what their father intended it to be.

“Somebody has to carry the torch, somebody has to lead the charge in raising money and making sure that this foundation is able to continue to support the Korral,” Krystal said. “So, we’ve already started stepping into those roles in making sure that we are helping to build those relationships,”

She continued, “I would say — and he had said — this is one of the greatest gifts he could give the world was the Korral. So, this is one of the things that he looked the most forward to, and I think this is the thing that my siblings and I have discussed being kind of our purpose from this point forward.”

At the gala the night before the golf tournament, Krystal told the crowd, “We have known and loved you guys for 20 years, and many of you have been here every single year. We appreciate the dedication that you guys have put into this foundation and my dad’s mission to provide something like the OK Kids Korral. It really does benefit so many kids.”

Krystal and her family have benefitted first hand from OK Kids Korral. During the pandemic, her now-8-year-old daughter was bitten by a brown recluse spider and she was admitted to the intensive care unit at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health. The OK Kids Korral helped Krystal and her family, so she knows first hand what the organization can do for sick children and their families.

We are so happy to see that Toby’s kids will continue his legacy. We know he is so proud of them.

Watch Toby talk about the OK Kids Korral after its grand opening in 2013 below.