Is Tim Keel OK? 'Queer Eye' Season 8 fans fear brother Doody Keel's death might impact his sobriety journey
METAIRIE, LOUISIANA: Caregivers were moved by a specific episode of the most recent season of 'Queer Eye', which is currently available on Netflix. Fans of 'Queer Eye' Season 8 are concerned for Tim Keel's recovery struggle and general well-being after learning of his brother's death during an episode spotlight.
On Reddit, fans wrote, "I had to sit for a few minutes after finishing this episode. I hope Tim is doing well. RIP Doodie 💜." Another user chimed in, "What a powerful hero. I really teared up this episode (multiple times). Wishing Tim and his family all the best!"
One worried fan further wrote, "At the end I was thinking, maybe he went to therapy or got on anti-depressants. Then it flashes his brother died - hoping that didn’t send him sliding backward…"
A fourth user also commented, "He was such a deserving hero this season and I hope life is kind to him moving forward."
One fan wished, "It’s so sad that he lost his brother but hopefully he can now start to get his life back a little bit."
Having spent over thirty years caring for his brother Tommy "Doody" Keel, Tim's life was shattered six months after the production of the film. "I’ve had to learn to live life without him." He said to Tudum, "I didn’t realize how much I would miss him."
"Life has been really hard, but I feel like I have the tools to make it through and am lucky to have the love of my friends and family (and the Fab 5) around me." Tim accomplished a significant personal milestone by celebrating two years of sobriety, despite the depths of his loss.
"My life changed a lot when I got sober, and having the Fab 5 come into my life after I made that decision gave me a chance to start fresh," he added. Tim found that altering his surroundings allowed him to accept a "new look on life to turn things in a new direction" and help him handle upsetting memories.
The KISS enthusiast claims that since working with Antoni Porowski, he is eating more purposefully and appreciating what he puts into his body. This also applies to his diet.
In terms of other lessons learned from his experience, Tim is making the most of his new clothes, provided he can remember not to dry-clean his brand-new dress shirts. He remarks, "People are so friendly when you’re dressed up fancy."
Tim has been motivated by that alone to keep up his connections and go out and socialize more than he may have in the past. "I realize more now the importance of getting out and maintaining relationships," he added.
But now that he's becoming better at maintaining a cleaner and more organized home, Tim can invite people over to his freshly renovated apartment when he does want to stay in. He has enough room to host guests and family since he has even managed to fit all of his KISS memorabilia into one room.
Who nominated Tim Keel for 'Queer Eye' Season 8?
In the poignant new season of 'Queer Eye', KISS superfan Tim was shown caring for his beloved brother Doody. In Season 8, the Fab Five made another trip to New Orleans, where they changed the lives of six heroes, including Tim, who was first shown in 'Kiss the Sky,' episode 2.
Tim is a huge fan of KISS, and his house is crammed with items that he has been collecting since 1974. Fashion expert, Tan France joked, "It's not a home; it's a museum!"
He was also a caretaker for his loving brother Doody, who was crippled in a car accident. Tim was nominated by one of his daughters, Melody, who noted that her father needed to understand that he is more than just a KISS fan and caretaker of Doody, whom he had been caring for since 1986.
"They didn't think he was gonna live," Tim told the Fab Five of his seven-year older brother. "He was in a coma for three months."
The bedridden Doody, the trigger for Tim's intense love of KISS, was depicted throughout the program while his younger brother completed his transition. At the end of the episode, it was revealed that Doody died unexpectedly six months after its creation.
"Brothers together until the end," the title card stated.
How did 'Queer Eye's Tommy "Doody" Keel die?
Melody paid tribute to her uncle on social media after he died in January 2023, but she did not provide any specifics regarding his demise. "I adored him from the moment I met him," she explained.
"As soon as I could walk I wanted to push his wheelchair, and we spent many, many hours of me doing his makeup, dressing him in wigs, and making him be a guest in my plastic food restaurant. He was my captive audience, and he always met me with smiles and laughs (even though many others were met with a strong “f**k you!” If they tried to move him around)."
"When he got into the accident over thirty years ago, they didn’t give him long to live, but my dad’s unwavering love and commitment to him kept us with him for longer than anyone imagined possible," she continued.
"He loved listening to music, telling old stories, ripping apart magazines to hang 'bow' in his room, eating anything and everything, and making us cry laugh. He taught me to always laugh, even if you’re in the most awful situation imaginable. Life will never be the same without you, and I will love you and miss you and think of you forever."
Tim Keel's daughter started GoFundMe for 'Queer Eye' Season 8 hero
Tim's nominator and daughter Melody started a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $30,000 for him shortly after the season debuted. She reminded him of how Tim had raised his sibling all of his life.
Tim was his brother's caregiver for almost thirty years, making sure he got out of bed, enjoyed life, and was surrounded by unending love every day. Additionally, he worked in restaurants, metal machine shops, shipyards, and chemical tanker cleanups throughout his life, all of which had a detrimental effect on his health.
Tim has previously undergone open-heart surgery, and shoulder, knee, and back operations. He needs further foot and back procedures, nevertheless, to preserve his quality of life.
According to Melody, he has given up his love of animal rescue and collecting KISS memorabilia to save money for these surgeries. However, since the current medical system is pricey, both the procedures and the monthly payments have seemed out of reach.
Melody said she saw him at his lowest point before 'Queer Eye', believing he was unable to continue as they were.
He was rescued from his lowest point by the reality program, which also gave everyone hope for the future. Melody observes that her father's life would be permanently changed if she were to give him money to aid with his ongoing living and medical expenses.
'Queer Eye' Season 8 is currently streaming on Netflix in its entirety.