Stella Parton is sharing the truth about her sister Dolly Parton‘s private battle with cancer.

The beloved country music icon died on August 25 at age 80. She was surrounded by loved ones at a Nashville medical center following what her team described as a “brief battle” with the disease. Her family privately laid her to rest just days later.

During an interview on CBS Mornings, 77-year-old Stella spoke to host Gayle King about Dolly’s final days and her decision to keep her diagnosis hidden from the public.


Shielding Her Family and Fans

Stella told King that the singer made a deliberate choice to hide her condition because she despised negativity and hated seeing people worry.

“Dolly did not want anybody to tell that because Dolly could not bear negative things,” Stella said. “She would not have wanted her fans worried about it. 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.”

Despite the shock of her sudden passing, Stella believes her sister would appreciate the outpouring of public support. “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,” Stella continued.

Finding Peace in Her Final Days

Stella also addressed Dolly’s mindset in the weeks leading up to her death.

“I know she was at peace,” Stella said. “I could always tell by looking at her face, even if I hadn’t seen her in months. She wasn’t going anywhere bad; she was going to be with Momma and Daddy. She was definitely prepared.”

Dolly, who grew up in rural Tennessee with 11 brothers and sisters, had already lost five of her siblings before her own passing. 

A Legacy of Giving Back

Throughout her illness, Dolly stayed dedicated to helping others. Stella previously revealed that her sister was willing to undergo experimental medical treatments, even if there was no hope for her own survival, just to help future patients. 

Over her lifetime, the country star donated an estimated $600 million to various charitable organizations, and that selflessness extended directly to her final wishes.

Her cousin, Richie Owens, told the Today Show that Dolly specifically asked fans to send $50 donations to her Imagination Library — an initiative that gifts free books to children from birth to age five — instead of buying flowers. 

Even in her final days, her primary focus was giving back.



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