Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, explained in an interview with CBS Mornings that the country music icon kept her cancer battle private to avoid worrying fans and family. Dolly Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80, a death that shocked many unaware of her illness.

Concern for Fans and Family

Stella Parton said not even the entire extended family knew about Dolly’s illness; “Some of us knew, the ones of us that were closer,” she told co-host Gayle King. Dolly, according to Stella, could not bear negative things and would not have wanted her fans worried; “She did not want people sad,” she said; “She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love.”

Legacy and Public Response

Dolly Parton’s career spanned six decades in the music industry, leading to TV and movie stardom. Her team announced her death at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, noting she had “bravely faced a brief battle with cancer.” The family has not disclosed the type of cancer or the duration of her illness. Following her death, fans and celebrities worldwide mourned and praised her as an icon whose legacy will never be forgotten.

In a statement from Rolling Stone Germany, Stella expressed gratitude for the support her family has received, but “We will be okay over time, but each of us will grieve in their own way,” she wrote. She also addressed the overwhelming amount of misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content flooding social media since Dolly’s death. “It is a challenge to process or simply ignore it,” she said.

Call for Respect and Tolerance

Stella emphasized Dolly’s belief in tolerance and respect. “Dolly loved her fans and the public in general,” she said. That’s why Dolly often chose not to comment on politics, religion, or public figures. She understood the negative spiral such topics could create and believed it was a waste of positive energy. Stella urged the public to reflect on how they would feel at the end of a day or a life if their actions were driven by clever comments, fake AI content, or harsh tweets. “It’s not about what strangers you will never meet think of you,” she added.

Stella also paid tribute to Dolly’s kindness and generosity in a heartfelt message following her death. “My sister always thought of others first,” she wrote.