Dolly Parton's sister Stella has revealed that the late singer kept her cancer diagnosis from her wider family and the public because she did not want to worry anyone.
The 9 To 5 singer died last month following a private battle with cancer. She was laid to rest next to her husband Carl Dean following a private funeral service in late August.
Why Dolly kept the diagnosis private
Speaking to Gayle King on CBS Mornings, Stella explained that Dolly did not want anybody to tell people "because Dolly could not bear negative things and she would not have wanted her fans worried about it".
Stella also said that Dolly "didn't want a lot of family worried about it". She explained that "some of us knew, the ones of us that were closer" but "not every relative".
Family and fans' response
Stella shared that Dolly "did not want people sad and she did not want people worried". She added: "She'd be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love because she knew that that would make us feel better as her family."
Stella said the bottom line was that Dolly's family, her late husband Carl Dean and her best friend Judy Ogle were "the people that she would want to say, 'Well, see? Everything I did, they cared. They really loved me!'"
Sister Freida's tribute
One of Dolly's other siblings, Freida, paid tribute to her sister on Facebook. She wrote: "Thank you all for bearing with me as I mourn the death of my big sister. I know to the entire world, she was a superstar, but to me, she was my Dolly Momma."
She added: "She was the sister who would climb into bed with me when I was little because we were both afraid of the dark. She was the woman who stepped up and became my Momma, raising me from ages 13 to 18. She was the one who tried to convince me to wear her wigs at my shows in Dollywood (sorry, sister, but I definitely didn’t listen to you on that one)."
Freida continued: "Like all sisters, we definitely had our share of arguments and disagreements throughout the years, but even through all the highs and lows, and all the laughter and tears, I never stopped loving her. I asked you all months ago to pray for Dolly, but now I’m going to ask you to please pray for me and my entire family as we navigate this insurmountable loss."
