Dolly Parton's loved ones reportedly hurried to be with her in the hospital as her health experienced an unexpected and sharp decline, leading to her death on Tuesday. The suddenness of her passing reportedly came as a shock to even those closest to her, according to TMZ.
Some of her loved ones did not arrive in time after rushing to Nashville upon hearing of her hospitalization the previous week and her deteriorating condition. Parton was admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville on Friday with kidney and autoimmune issues, and she passed away Tuesday morning.
Despite her recent health struggles, Parton appeared to be in good spirits during her last public appearance. She participated virtually in the ACM Honors on August 19 to accept the ACM Poet’s Award, though the timing of the video message recording is unclear. In her recorded message, she reflected on her career, stating, "Every dream I ever had, and all the dreams that I’ve been able to see come true in life, well, they all started with a song. Songwriting has been my therapy. Songwriting has been my release, my joy. Songwriting has been a gift from God that has allowed me to touch people with words and music."
In a final interview published Friday, Parton mentioned to People that she was "dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl," referring to her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at the age of 82. She also acknowledged, "It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health."
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, issued an emotional statement on behalf of the family, saying Parton was "in the arms of Jesus" and reunited with Dean, her husband of nearly 60 years. "Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus," Seaver said. "Surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens."
Seaver also commented on her lasting impact: "Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life, and across every continent. By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open and the doors she opened made and changed history."