Dolly Parton’s passing following a brief battle with cancer was a shock to all who loved her. The country songstress passed away on August 25 at the age of 80. Since her passing, those closest to her, including her sister, Stella Parton, have shared more about her diagnosis and her decision to keep it private. Stella previously revealed with CBS Mornings that the “9 to 5” singer “did not want people sad” if she shared the news of her cancer battle.
In a recent interview, Dolly Parton’s niece, Danielle Parton, opened up about the moment she began suspecting something was wrong with her aunt’s health after sharing details of her own health battle with the country music icon.
Dolly Parton’s Niece, Danielle Parton, Shares When She Suspected Her Aunt Was Sick
Danielle Parton, the niece of the late legendary country music icon Dolly Parton, recently sat down with Extra, where she opened up about her concerns for her aunt’s health after sharing her own cancer diagnosis with the singer.
Danielle revealed that she told Parton about her cancer diagnosis on August 6, after undergoing a biopsy. She recalled that her aunt took the news “really heavy,” prompting her to suspect that the country legend might have been facing her own health struggles at the time. Sadly, Parton passed away just a few weeks later following a brief battle with cancer. The specific type of cancer has not been publicly disclosed.
“I am going through a little bit of a cancer battle myself right now. I’m okay, stage zero, caught it early, getting it done,” Danielle said.
“But she took it really heavy, and that’s how I figured out,” Danielle added. She also shared that Parton was “devastated” by her cancer diagnosis, with Danielle telling her, “Look, you gotta get it together; it ain’t that deep,” adding, “I just wanted you to know because you knew I was having a biopsy.”
Danielle also said that she “knew she was sick” but wasn’t certain “what she was dealing with.” Parton’s niece also opened up about her aunt’s love for others and why she believed it was best to protect those closest to her from sharing her health news. “She worried more about everybody else before she would ever let you know that anything was wrong with her,” she said.
Dolly Parton’s Niece Danielle Takes on New Role as Estate Ambassador
Danielle is now continuing to honor her aunt’s lasting legacy after being named the Parton estate’s new brand ambassador. In an Instagram post shared on October 21, Danielle shared, “Like so many of you, losing her has changed something for me. It made me think of the stories, values, and lessons that she left behind, and the responsibility that our family has to care for them.”
She continued, “I’m not crazy enough to try to fill her shoes. God knows I couldn’t walk on them without killing myself. What I can do is share the woman that I knew. I can tell some of the stories of her, the stories behind the global icon, and support the people carrying forward the work that she cared for and created to make sure what she built continues to bring people joy.”
“I’m so grateful to care for a legacy that means so much, not only to my family, but to all of you,” she added.
She also captioned her post, “Being a Parton means hard work, big dreams and never forgetting where you came from. I’m proud to be part of that legacy and to carry it on in my own way. 🩷”
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Dolly Parton’s Niece Danielle Parton Had a Feeling Something Was Wrong Before Her Aunt’s Cancer Revelation