Music superstar Dolly Parton made a poignant confession about her determination to keep working just four days before her death at the age of 80.
The country music legend spoke candidly about the health problems she had been battling during an interview with People published August 21, admitting she was “still healin’.” However, she also remained determined to bring her many unfinished projects to life, saying “I still have so many things I want to achieve.”
Parton’s death just days later adds heartbreaking new weight to the comments, which initially sounded characteristically defiant and optimistic about the future.
Dolly Parton Said She Still Had Plans For the Future
During the interview, Parton discussed plans for her Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville to celebrate her career when the conversation turned toward her recent health struggles and what plans she currently had.
The singer revealed that she has been struggling with a number of health conditions in recent times, particularly following the death of her husband Carl Thomas Dean last year. She mentioned that she had neglected herself while caring for Dean and was dealing with those consequences now.
Yet, Parton acknowledged she’d endured “hard times” with her health before and felt like it was something she could overcome. She even joked about the enormous attention her condition has received online, christening herself the “Queen of Social Media.”
Parton went on to say she still had many things planned for the future and wasn’t planning on slowing down in the near future.
“You know me — as I’ve often said — I’ve dreamed myself into a corner and I still have so many things I want to achieve,” she explained. “So I’m gonna keep on working as long as I can to see everything come to life.”
She certainly wasn’t short of upcoming projects. Parton went on to say that she is working on opening a new hotel, developing a virtual avatar performance, and a number of new brands.
Dolly Parton Dies at 80
News of Paton’s death was broken by her nephew and head of security Bryan Seaver on her official Instagram account. Her passing brings an end to an extraordinary career in entertainment and music.
“My name is Brian Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he said in the video. “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
It comes after an enormously difficult period in her personal life. Her husband of almost 60 years died last year at the age of 82. Despite rarely being in the spotlight himself, Parton has often spoken about his influence on her life and career as well as the central figure he was throughout their marriage. She subsequently admitted that losing him had been “a big adjustment.”
