Dolly Parton was reportedly dealing with cancer away from the public eye in the period before her death Tuesday at age 80.
Representatives for the beloved country music icon confirmed her passing in a statement shared with People, saying the “Jolene” legend died after what they described as a brief fight with cancer.
No further details were provided about the specific form of cancer she had been facing.
In the statement, her team said Parton had “bravely” endured a short battle with the disease before leaving “her Earthly life” at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, where she was surrounded by those closest to her.
A music industry insider also told Our News Outlet that Parton’s illness had been known only within a small circle during the months before her death.
The source said they had been aware for some time that the singer was seriously unwell, but that the extent of her condition was not widely understood. “We knew she was going to die,” the insider said, adding that they had not expected it to happen that day.
The insider said they understood Parton had cancer, though they did not know the type, explaining that those around the situation were hesitant to press for more information because they feared what they might hear.
Dolly Parton was reportedly battling cancer privately before her death at age 80 on Tuesday; pictured in 2016
According to a source, who said people are ‘heartbroken’ by her death, those close to Parton have known about her cancer diagnosis for many months.
‘No one close to her [is surprised that death was close]. That was quite a while ago, like about 11 months ago, that she wasn’t doing too well,’ the insider said.
‘And then she got better for a while, but then she kept canceling stuff, so we knew.’
Meanwhile, Parton’s representatives further told People in their statement: ‘Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched.’
‘Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,’ the statement went on.
‘Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact.’
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The legendary country singer’s death was confirmed Tuesday in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also acted as her head of security.
She died Tuesday morning after being admitted Friday to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to TMZ.
Parton’s representatives confirmed the country superstar’s death in a statement to People, sharing that the Jolene singer died following a ‘brief battle with cancer’
Parton’s loved ones began racing to Nashville upon hearing news of her hospitalization, but not all were able to reach her while she was alive.
‘This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,’ Seaver said.
He hailed his aunt for having ‘lived in the light’ and said she was now ‘in the arms of Jesus’ and the company of her late husband Carl Dean, as well as her parents and ‘countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.’
Parton, who is often referred to as the Queen of Country, enjoyed an illustrious music career that spanned an incredible six decades and was arguably best known for her hits Jolene and 9 to 5.
Her passing came after months of health woes that saw her pull out of a string of public appearances, fueling fan fears for her wellbeing.
Seaver fondly recalled joining Parton on tour when he was a child in the 1980s, sharing that she ‘opened doors not just for me but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible.’
He characterized her as ‘a farmer, just like her daddy. He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.’
Family insiders indicated that a private service for close friends and relations will be held in Nashville within the next few days.
In an interview published just four days before her death, Parton had declared she still had ‘so many things I want to achieve’ and vowed to continue ‘working as long as I can to see everything come to life,’ via People.
She explained that she had been grappling with ‘some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.’
