Fans are praying for the country music legend Dolly Parton after she was forced to miss a Dollywood event due to a major health scare.
Parton’s Health Scare
Parton, 79, missed a Dollywood event that had been scheduled for Wednesday. The event was meant to celebrate the new Night Flight Expedition ride, which is the latest attraction at the beloved theme park.
“Hello Dollywood! It’s me,” Parton told attendees in a pre-recorded video. “I know – and I’m here, and you’re there. And you’re wondering why that is? Well, I had a little problem.”
“I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it’d given me an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better,’” she continued.
“So, he suggested I not go to Dollywood today, but I’m there with you in spirit,” Parton concluded. “I was looking so forward to it.”
Check out Parton’s full statement in the video below.
Parton’s Husband Dies
This comes after a difficult year for Parton. Indeed, she tragically lost her husband Carl Dean back in March. The two of them had been married since 1966. Dean died on March 3 at the age of 82.
Despite being married to one of the most famous women in the world for nearly 60 years, Dean was an incredibly private person. That’s why no cause of death has ever been announced for him.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Parton wrote on social media at the time. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Days later, Parton issued another statement thanking her fans and loved ones for their support.
“This is a love note to family, friends, and fans. Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,” Parton said. “I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me.”
“He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you,” she continued. This was a clear reference to her 1973 hit song “I Will Always Love You.”
Parton Bounces Back
Just two weeks after Dean’s death, Parton managed to overcome her grief to surprise guests at Dollywood’s Celebrity Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She did this in honor of the theme park’s 40th anniversary.
“Of course I will always love him, and I’ll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you,” Parton told guests at the time.
Three months after Dean passed away, Parton opened up about her grief while appearing on Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, “Khloé in Wonder Land.”
“My husband passed away three months ago… [There are] several things I have wanted to start, but I can’t do it,” Parton admitted.
“I will later,” she added. “I’m just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas, but I think I won’t finish it. I can’t do it right now, because I got so many other things.”
After such a difficult year, it’s sad that Parton has been hit with this health setback. Please join us in saying a prayer for her as she continues to recover!