Dolly Parton’s sister has revealed the extent to which the country music legend kept her health diagnosis a secret.
In a new interview, Stella Parton, 77, told CBS Mornings’ Gayle King that Parton was purposefully discreet because she did not want others to worry–including some of her own family members.
“Well, Dolly did not want anybody to tell that because Dolly could not bear negative things and she would not have wanted her fans worried about it,” said Stella.
She continued, “She didn’t want a lot of the family worried about it. Some of us knew, the ones that were closer, but not every relative.”
The 9 to 5 star “did not want people sad” said Stella. However, she said that the country queen would be honored by the support extended to her family and closest loved ones, including her late husband Carl Dean’s family and her longtime best friend, Judy Ogle.
“She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love because she knew that would make us feel better as her family,” her sister explained. “Bottom line, end of the day, her family and Carl’s family and probably Judy’s family are the people that she would want to say, ‘See, everything I did, they cared. They really loved me.’”
Parton died on August 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, her family confirmed. The legendary singer hid her diagnosis from fans and the public.
Musician Jada Star, the daughter of Parton’s sister Freida, also said her aunt “never wanted to worry anybody,” which is why her death came as “a shock.” Parton was admitted to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, on a Friday just a few days later.
Parton had undergone several health upheavals in the last year, deteriorating after the death of her husband, who she spent 60 years with. She postponed multiple shows across the nation and often reassured fans that she would be OK as concerns mounted.
Beyond her artistry, Parton was known for her commitment to philanthropy, which she maintained until the very end. After her cancer diagnosis, she allowed her medical team to try experimental treatments in the hope that she could help future patients, Stella previously revealed.
“My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” Stella wrote in an Instagram tribute. “What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so, she told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future.”
“She left the world a better place by being in it,” Stella wrote. “So let’s follow her example.”
