Two months after Dolly Parton passed away at 80 following a brief cancer battle, her niece Danielle Parton has shared a health update of her own. Danielle, 50, told Extra she’s facing a“stage zero”cancer battle that was caught early, and she kept her message simple:“I’m OK.”
Danielle also revealed how her aunt reacted to the news, saying Dolly took it“really heavy.”That reaction is how Danielle realized her aunt was quietly fighting her own illness. In Danielle’s words, Dolly“worried more about everybody else before she would ever let you know anything was wrong with her.”It’s the most Dolly sentiment imaginable.
On Thursday, Dolly’s estate named Danielle its new brand ambassador. She has promised to share“the woman that I knew”and help carry her aunt’s legacy forward, which means fans may finally hear the personal stories behind the icon. Who in your family would you trust to tell your story? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.