Dolly Parton reassures fans after prayer request raises concerns
Dolly Parton said in a video that she is feeling well and thanked fans for their concern after her concert was postponed.
Dolly Parton is sharing an update on her health, a day after her sister energized the superstar’s fan base by asking for prayers.
“I know everyone thinks you’re sicker than me these days,” Parton said in a video posted to Instagram on Wednesday, with the caption, “I’m not dead yet!”
“Do I look sick to you?” Parton said in the video. “I’m doing my best here!”
Parton said she was filming the video on Oct. 8 in between work on a commercial and said, “I just want to put some peace of mind to people who I think are really worried.” She assured fans that she was “okay” but said she had “some issues” to deal with and had undergone “several treatments.”
The singer went on to say that after her husband Karl Dean passed away earlier this year, she “didn’t take care of myself” and “let go of a lot of things that I should have taken care of.”
“When I tried to fix it, the doctor said, ‘We need to deal with this, we need to deal with that.’ It wasn’t anything major, but I had to cancel some errands to be closer to home,” she explained.
But Parton added, “I just wanted you to know that I’m not going to die!” She concluded, “I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God will finish me. And I’m not done yet.”
The 79-year-old’s comments come on the heels of Freida Parton, who called for fellow “prayer warriors” on her sister’s behalf.
“Last night I prayed all night for my sister Dolly,” Parton wrote in an Oct. 7 Facebook post. “Many of you know that she hasn’t been at her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I was (led) to ask all those who love her around the world to become prayer warriors and pray with me.”
The post concluded with, “She is strong and loved. And every prayer is being said for her so I know in my heart she will be okay. Godspeed my sissy Dolly. We all love you! ❤️.”
Dolly Parton previously opened up about her health issues in a social media post on September 28, announcing the postponement of her Las Vegas concert.
“As many of you know, I have some health issues and doctors have told me that I need some procedures,” she said. “I won’t be able to rehearse and put together the show I want you to see and the show you deserve to see. You’re paying good money to see me perform, and I want the best for you.”
Although her condition still allows her to “work on all my projects from here in Nashville,” Ms. Parton said she “just needs some time to prepare for the show.”
Contributor: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
(This story has been updated to include video.)
