Stella Parton Shares How Dolly Parton Remained Determined to Help Others During Her Final Months
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“She recently told me that even if doctors believed there was no hope left for her, she would still be willing to undergo experimental treatments if doing so could help researchers and other patients in the future.”
Dolly Parton’s younger sister, Stella Parton, has opened up about the loss of the country music legend in an emotional tribute shared two days after Dolly’s death. Along with remembering the close relationship they shared, Stella revealed a touching detail about Dolly’s final months and her continued desire to make a difference for others while privately facing cancer.
“My big sister Dolly got her wings this past Tuesday,” Stella wrote. She added that she had no doubt Dolly had made her way to heaven, imagining her sister arriving in her signature style, surrounded by “sparkles and shine.”
Stella also reminisced about a longtime ritual that helped keep the sisters close despite their busy lives. For years, they regularly spoke by phone on Tuesday mornings, often sharing coffee together before the rest of the world had fully woken up.
The sisters’ early-rising habit went back to their childhood on the farm. Their weekly conversations gave them an opportunity to catch up, exchange family gossip, talk about their plans and simply enjoy one another’s company.
Beyond their personal memories, Stella emphasized that Dolly was every bit as caring and generous in private as she appeared to be in the public eye. According to Stella, her sister’s compassion extended to her final months, when Dolly was still thinking about how she could potentially help others.
Stella recalled that Dolly had told her she would even consider experimental medical treatments if doctors believed there was little hope for her recovery, because she wanted any experience gained from those treatments to potentially benefit other people in the future.
Stella then asked fans to honor Dolly by carrying forward the values she embodied throughout her life. She encouraged people to be kinder, support those around them and give their time and resources to others.
She also expressed gratitude to Dolly’s fans for the tremendous amount of love and respect they have shown following the singer’s death. Stella said that the outpouring of support has been deeply meaningful to the family as they continue to cope with their loss.