Dolly Parton privately battled cancer before her death at 80, the country icon's team confirms
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By SONIA HORON, US ASSISTANT SHOWBIZ EDITOR
Published: | Updated:
Dolly Parton had been battling cancer before her death at the age of 80 on Tuesday.
Parton's representatives confirmed the country superstar's death in a statement to People, sharing that the Jolene singer died following a 'brief battle with cancer.'
They did not disclose what type of cancer it was.
'After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,' the statement read.
'Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched.'
'Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,' the statement went on.
Dolly Parton had been battling cancer before her death at the age of 80 on Tuesday; Pictured in 2016
'Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.'
The legendary country singer's death was confirmed Tuesday in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also acted as her head of security.
She died Tuesday morning after being admitted Friday to Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to TMZ.
Parton's loved ones began racing to Nashville upon hearing news of her hospitalization, but not all were able to reach her while she was alive.
'This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,' Seaver said.
He hailed his aunt for having 'lived in the light' and said she was now 'in the arms of Jesus' and the company of her late husband Carl Dean, as well as her parents and 'countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.'
Parton, who is often referred to as the Queen of Country, enjoyed an illustrious music career that spanned an incredible six decades and was arguably best known for her hits Jolene and 9 to 5.
Her passing came after months of health woes that saw her pull out of a string of public appearances, fueling fan fears for her wellbeing.
Parton's representatives confirmed the country superstar's death in a statement to People, sharing that the Jolene singer died following a 'brief battle with cancer'
Seaver fondly recalled joining Parton on tour when he was a child in the 1980s, sharing that she 'opened doors not just for me but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible.'
He characterized her as 'a farmer, just like her daddy. He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.'
Family insiders indicated that a private service for close friends and relations will be held in Nashville within the next few days.
In an interview published just four days before her death, Parton had declared she still had 'so many things I want to achieve' and vowed to continue 'working as long as I can to see everything come to life,' via People.
She explained that she had been grappling with 'some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.'
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