A true icon passed away on August 25, 2026, and the world will never be the same. Dolly Parton was the undisputed queen of country music and shared her talents with us for decades. Though she faced health challenges in her final months, Dolly Parton never gave up her smile, her wit, or her faith in God. She knew one day she’d be reunited with her family and beloved husband Carl Dean, but no one thought it would be so soon. Dolly’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, shared a video message on Instagram announcing the star’s passing.
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“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he said. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now. “It is an honor. An honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”
Dolly Parton’s Family and Fans Meant Everything to Her
“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,” Seaver said. “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. “
“My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD, and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family, whether you liked it or not,” he added. “Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever.”
“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,” he said. “Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly, Aunt Granny, Gigi, may God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you.”
This story’s featured image is by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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