It’s been just over a week since the queen of country music, Dolly Parton, passed away at age 80 after a ‘brief battle’ with cancer.
Since then, millions of heartfelt tributes — including everyone from Miley Cyrus to Beyoncé — have made their way across social media and the press, proving how much of an impact Dolly had on the world.
Now, someone much closer to home has broken their silence about the 9 to 5 singer, specifically on the sweet reason why Dolly decided to keep her cancer diagnosis private until the end.
Dolly’s niece, Jada Star, spoke exclusively to Extra in a video interview, days after she performed at Grand Ole Opry’s musical tribute in Nashville for her beloved aunt.
Jada’s mother is Dolly’s younger sister, Freida Parton. She told the reporter that Dolly kept her cancer battle under wraps because ‘she never wanted to worry anybody.’
‘You know, we kind of kept all that stuff real private,’ she said. However, Jada added that it was still ‘a shock on Tuesday [August 25]’ when the news broke of Dolly’s death.
‘It’s been very difficult and really surreal. I think we all share that feeling,’ Jada reflected, before adding that she ‘can’t remember a life’ without Dolly in it.
Speaking about all of the love Dolly and her family have received, Jada continued: ‘It’s also been really bittersweet because of this beautiful opportunity we’ve had to see how much the whole world loves her.
‘So, all of these tributes have helped so much to help us all through it.’
Elsewhere in the interview, Jada opened up about her aunt’s personality and how she was always on-hand to help others.
Dolly, who was known for being unapologetically herself, also gave great advice, according to Jada.
‘She had a different set of advice for every single person on Earth,’ she said.
‘For me, my advice that I frequently got was “Why are you worried about what other people think?”‘
Finally, the interviewer asked Jada if there was anything she wished she could say to her aunt Dolly if she were here today.
She concluded with: ‘I think I would just say, “thank you so much, and I love you so much, and I know you’re OK”.’
As well as being a singer-songwriter, Dolly was also an astute businesswoman and philanthropist.
Over the course of her six-decade career, it’s estimated she donated around $500 million to various charities — if not more.
She founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has gifted hundreds of millions of free books to young children globally.
Dolly also supported many educational and medical causes, including a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University that aided COVID-19 vaccine research.
Just before her death, she even offered up her own body to medical researchers.
During her lifetime, Dolly established relief funds for families affected by natural disasters, including the devastating East Tennessee wildfires.
Of course, we can’t forget about Dollywood, her major theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which has been boosting the local economy since first opening in 1986.
Following her death, Dollywood has announced several new features to honour its founder and ‘dreamer-in-chief.’
A mountainside waterfall will be added, creating a ‘peaceful setting for guests to pause, reflect and enjoy the natural beauty’ of the area.
To honour Dolly’s Imagination Library book-giving programme, the park has also created a new character called the Dream Maker.
Through stories and interactive experiences, the Dream Maker ‘will encourage guests to dream big, believe in themselves and lift others up through courage and kindness.’
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