Stella Parton has voiced frustration over the spread of misinformation and insensitivity from strangers following the recent death of her sister, country music legend Dolly Parton. In an Instagram statement shared on Friday, Stella expressed gratitude for genuine support while acknowledging the difficulty of grieving in the public eye.
"There is a tremendous amount of AI and endless garbage being posted everyday and it’s been challenging to absorb and ignore," Stella wrote. She noted that while families experience loss, her family has faced added pressure due to their public lives.
Stella, 77, did not specify the exact nature of the misinformation but emphasized Dolly's love for her fans. She explained that Dolly's decision to remain private about many personal opinions, including politics and religion, was a way to avoid alienating her fanbase.
Fans have responded in comments, decrying the disrespect shown to the late music icon and praising Dolly Parton's extensive philanthropic work. Her efforts included supporting childhood literacy, medical research, disaster relief, and education. Her Imagination Library program alone has distributed over 300 million books to children under five and will continue its mission.
Dolly Parton died on August 25 after a private battle with cancer. Following her wishes for privacy, her family also kept her burial arrangements out of the public spotlight. Page Six exclusively reported that the singer was laid to rest in an intimate ceremony three days after her passing. Her cousin, Richie Owens, confirmed that the private burial was intended to be a small, quiet affair, with Parton being interred beside her husband, Carl Thomas Dean.