Dolly Parton was looking to the future days before her death: ‘Still so many things I want to achieve’

TrendingPublished: Aug. 25, 2026, 2:45 p.m.Dolly Parton.APDolly Parton died at age 80 on on Tuesday, Aug. 25, just days after giving a hopeful update about her health struggles.“As I’ve shared in video messages throughout the past year, I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl,” Parton said in a Friday, Aug. 21, statement to People, referencing her husband Carl Dean, who died at age 82 in March 2025. Parton and Dean were married for nearly 59 years. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to manage something like this. Back in the early ’80s, I was down for several months with female issues, and I was struggling with my weight at the time too, so it’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health,” she continued.Parton r