Who died on 'Queer Eye' Season 8? Hero Tim Keel lost a close family member six months after Netflix show's filming concluded
METAIRIE, LOUISIANA: Netflix's 'Queer Eye' is a one-of-a-kind, intensive human transformation reality show with five specialized specialists known as the Fab Five, who assist people from all walks of life to become the most confident versions of themselves.
One of the most compelling characters in its eighth encounter was "Hero" Tim Keel's elder brother, Tommy "Doody" Keel, who unfortunately died a few months after the conclusion of Season 8's filming.
Tommy, the firstborn of this Keel family in New Orleans, Louisiana, was given the moniker Doddy after the expression "Howdy Doody" in 1958, and it stuck.
His life took a turn after a terrible automobile accident in 1986. Tommy was in a coma for three months, and when he recovered, doctors discovered he had suffered a severe brain injury that had his left side totally paralyzed.
This led Tim to take up the role of his caretaker. Even after the hardships, neither of them gave up.
Moreover, Tim became a superfan of KISS, a band his brother had introduced him to, out of sheer nostalgia.
How did 'Queer Eye' Season 8 star Tommy 'Doody' Keel die?
Doody died on the morning of January 19, 2023, just six months after filming of Tim's 'Queer Eye' episode ended. Concerning the cause of his death, no member of the Keel family has officially mentioned it.
Moreover, Tim took time before addressing his older brother's death publicly, and even then, he just reposted what his daughter Melody had written about her uncle.
'Queer Eye's Tim Keel's daughter launches a GoFundMe page after Doody Keel's death to help her father with expenses
Tim's daughter, Melody, recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help him get back on his feet after Doody's death.
She wrote, "For over 30 years he spent every day by his brother’s side making sure he got out of bed, got to experience the joys of life, and was surrounded by endless love. He also worked in shipyards, kitchens, metal machine shops, and cleaning out chemical tankers for his whole life which unfortunately wrecked havoc on his body."
"He has undergone back, two shoulder, two knee, and open heart surgery. He is disabled, and needs another back surgery and foot surgery to be able to have a quality of life," added Melody.
Tim's daughter further mentioned, "He has given up his love of rescuing animals and collecting Kiss memorabilia to save for these procedures, but, as you can imagine, the current medical system is not affordable and these procedures, and even affording monthly bills, has seemed unobtainable."
Melody saw him at rock bottom before 'Queer Eye', believing he couldn't carry on the way things were.
The Netflix show apparently brought him out of his worst moments and gave everyone hope for the future. Through the campaign, Melody seeks to raise $30,000 to help him with his "ongoing medical expenses and living expenses."
How did 'Queer Eye' help Tim Keel?
Tim somehow lost himself while acting as a full-time caretaker of his brother, Doody.
By giving him an understanding of things like clothes, food, grooming, home makeovers, and persistent self-reflection, the Fab Five helped the ardent KISS fan and animal lover to get out of his comfort zone for self-growth.
As a result, at the end of Tim's makeover week, he recognized he had done a lot in his personal life and deserved more than he had previously believed - he had begun to heal.
On a deeper level, the fact that his house now clearly showcased his primary passions while still allowing him plenty of room to expand and pursue his other interests, such as entertainment, was of great value to him.
The two things he most enjoyed were the Fab Five's efforts to accommodate his brother Doody, as well as their success in putting some of his memorabilia into a local art gallery on Magazine Street for an exclusive pop-up KISS display.
'Queer Eye' Season 8 is currently streaming on Netflix in its entirety.