Dolly Parton’s sister Stella reveals singer was using experimental drugs before her death at age 80
Dolly Parton’s younger sister has spoken out following the tragic passing of the country music legend on Tuesday.
Parton’s family confirmed the 80-year-old singer died after a brief battle with cancer.
The type of cancer has not been disclosed but, in a tribute shared on Facebook, Stella revealed her sister had been trialling experimental drugs before her death.
“My sister was one of the most generous, thoughtful and kind people I’ve ever known,” Stella, 77, said.
“What the world saw is exactly who she was, so much so she told me recently that if there was no hope for her, she would still allow her medical team to try experimental drugs in the hope of helping others in the future.
“My sister was always thinking of others and if you want to honour her legacy, show more kindness, lift others up and give more of your time and resources as she continued to do to the very end.”
Stella, who is also a country music singer and songwriter, went on to thank everyone for their kind words and support.
“Your love and respect for her is deeply felt by all of us who loved her first and it helps as we grieve her passing through our lives,” she said.
“I would criticise and complain about it and she would laugh and say: ‘Shoot Tedda, we’ve got more important things to do than worry about their silly asses’.
“She left the world a better place by being in it so let’s follow her example.”
Parton had reportedly been dealing with kidney and autoimmune health issues before her death.
She died on Tuesday, local time, after a remarkable rise from humble blue-collar beginnings to become one of America’s most beloved musicians and philanthropists.
Her nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, confirmed the news in an emotional video shared to social media, revealing Parton had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time came.
Tributes have continued to flood in for Parton, as celebrities share their personal memories of the iconic singer.
5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.perthnow.com.au — the content belongs to PerthNow.
