Dolly Parton has set the record straight about her health after a wave of concern started by her sister Freida’s prayer request. The 79-year-old country legend assured fans that she’s doing well, joking that she’s “not ready to die yet” and that she “ain’t done working.”
Dolly Parton gives health update amid scares
Dolly Parton is alive, well, and working despite growing rumors about her health. In a video shared on October 8, the “9 to 5” hitmaker addressed fan worries after her sister Freida’s emotional post suggested she was unwell.
“Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here!” Parton said cheerfully, speaking from the set of a Grand Ole Opry commercial shoot. “I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease. I appreciate your prayers, I can always use them, but I want you to know that I’m okay.”
Parton acknowledged that she’s been dealing with some lingering health issues, particularly since the death of her husband, Carl Dean, earlier this year. The couple had been married for 58 years before Dean passed away in March at age 82.
“When Carl was very sick and then after he passed, I didn’t take care of myself,” she admitted. “So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, we need to take care of this. Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home.”
Ultimately, Parton dismissed online death rumors, including a viral AI-generated photo that falsely showed her on her “deathbed” with fellow country star Reba McEntire. “If I was really dying, ReI don’t think Reba would be the one at my death bed.” she joked. “There’s a lot of rumours flying around, and I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I’m ok.”
The health chatter began when Parton’s sister, Freida, wrote on Facebook that she’d been “up all night praying” for her sister. The post led fans to fear something serious had happened, prompting Freida to later clarify that she didn’t mean to alarm anyone.
