Dolly Parton's sister Freida has broken her silence following the singer's funeral, paying a tearful tribute to the country legend who died last week after a brief battle with cancer.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Freida, one of Dolly's 11 siblings, described her late sister as her "Dolly Momma" and thanked fans for their support as she mourns the loss.
A Sister's Heartfelt Words
Freida 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 recalled intimate memories, adding: "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)."
Mourning and Moving Forward
Freida acknowledged their disagreements over the years but insisted her love never wavered. "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," she wrote.
She asked fans for prayers for her family, saying: "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."
A Special Project in Honour of Dolly
Freida revealed she is working on a tribute to her sister, writing: "There will never be anyone who can replace her in our hearts, and I know she holds a special place in many of yours as well. I know she would want me to keep going, keep smiling, and keep sharing the love she gave so freely with others."
She added: "I’m working on something very special for all of you in her honour. It’s my way of keeping a little piece of my Dolly Momma with me, while sharing her with all of you who loved her, too. Thank you for loving her, for praying for her, and now, for loving and praying for all of us. All My Love, Freida."
Funeral Details and Final Wishes
Dolly's family confirmed she was "laid to rest" next to her husband Carl Dean following a private funeral service in Nashville on Friday afternoon. The singer was buried in a simple cotton dress and a pair of her beloved high heel shoes, with her niece Lainey Mae Parton sharing the news on Instagram.
The service was reportedly in keeping with Dolly's wishes, as she had planned the details before her death. In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Parton expressed her desire for the song If We Never Meet Again (This Side Of Heaven) to be sung at her funeral.
She told the outlet: "I’m sure they’ll be playing I Will Always Love You when I die, just like they did with Whitney Houston. When they picked her coffin up and started in on that song, I started to cry, and I thought, ‘oh my lord’, that’s when it hit me that she was really gone.
"But there’s a song called If We Never Meet Again, it’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about, ‘if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore, where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more’. That was my daddy’s favourite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine."
