Parton shares a heartfelt and witty message about her health
Dolly Parton’s health concerns have rocked the internet since her sister, Freida, asked for prayers about the beloved country legend. Dolly has shared a social media video using her signature wit to confirm “I ain’t dead yet.”
“Well, today is October 8th, and obviously, I’m here doing some commercials for the Grand Ole Opry, which is why I’m kind of dressed like a country-western girl. But before I got started, I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. “Do I look sick to you?” she quips. “I’m working hard here anyway.”
She continues, “I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease—those who seem to be genuinely concerned, which I appreciate. I also appreciate your prayers, ’cause I’m a person of faith and I can always use prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I’m okay.
“I’ve got some problems, as I mentioned back when my husband Carl was very sick. That was for a long time, and then when he passed, I didn’t take care of myself. So, I let a lot of things go that I should’ve been taking care of. Anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, “We need to take care of this. We need to take care of that.” It’s nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt, where I’m kind of having a few treatments here and there.
“But I wanted you to know that I’m not dying. Did you see that picture of Reba and me? Oh, Lordy! I mean, they had Reba at my deathbed, and we both looked like we needed to be buried! I thought, ‘Oh my Lord.’ But if I was really dying, I don’t think Reba would be the one—bless her heart, she would not come visit me. Anyway, there are just a lot of rumors flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay.
“So anyhow, that’s what I wanted to say, and I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring, and keep praying for me.”
Parton recently announced that she is facing some health challenges that have led to the postponement of her Las Vegas residency. Last month, the 79-year-old country legend postponed her planned December 2025 performances to September 2026, stating she had to undergo “a few procedures” that were not plastic surgery-related.
In her statement, Parton did not disclose the exact nature of the health issue, but she used her trademark humor to joke that it was time for her “100,000-mile check-up.”
Freida followed her prayer request post clarifying that she didn’t mean to scare anyone.
“I want to clear something up. I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly. She’s been a little under the weather, and I simply asked for prayers because I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister. Thank you all for lifting her up. Your love truly makes a difference,” she writes.
Earlier in September, Parton was forced to miss an appearance at Dollywood. In a video message, she explained that she was recovering from a kidney stone that had caused an infection and was advised by her doctor not to travel.
The health issues follow a difficult year for Parton, as her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, passed away in March 2025.
