Dolly Parton's niece has revealed why the country music legend chose to keep her cancer diagnosis private in the weeks before her death.
Jada Star opened up about her beloved aunt's final health battle in a new interview following Dolly's death at the age of 80 on August 25.
Although Dolly's representatives later confirmed that she had died following a "brief battle with cancer," the singer had chosen not to publicly disclose her diagnosis or the type of cancer she had.
Speaking to Extra on Tuesday, Jada explained that protecting the people she loved was at the heart of her decision. "She never wanted to worry anybody," she said. "So I think it was just a shock."
© Getty ImagesDolly Parton's final health battle
Dolly had been dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues before her death and was admitted to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville on August 21.
Four days later, the Jolene singer died surrounded by loved ones at the medical center. In a statement confirming the news, her representatives said: "Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched."
They continued: "Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand."
© Getty ImagesThe statement also highlighted Dolly's extraordinary philanthropic legacy, including the hundreds of millions of books distributed through her Imagination Library and her support for medical research.
"After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones," it concluded.
The exact type of cancer Dolly was diagnosed with has not been publicly disclosed.
'I can't remember a life without her'
For Jada, who is the daughter of Dolly's younger sister Freida Estelle Parton, coming to terms with the loss of a woman who had been part of her entire life has been "really difficult."
"It's very surreal," she told Extra, although she explained that the extraordinary outpouring of affection for Dolly has made the experience "bittersweet."
© Facebook"All of these tributes have helped so much to help us all through it," she said. "I can't remember a life without her."
Jada also revealed exactly what she believes her famously pragmatic aunt would tell the family if she could see them grieving.
"She would also tell us to start drying it up and start trying to get back to work and love each other real hard," she said. "She was just a trip."
Dolly's niece pays tribute at Grand Ole Opry
Jada was among the family members who took part in an emotional celebration of Dolly's life at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry on August 29, four days after her death.
She performed "The Orchard," a particularly poignant choice given the song's personal connection to the pair.
Jada had previously recorded the track with her aunt for Dolly's 2024 family album, Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables, a project that explored generations of the Parton family's musical heritage.
The sold-out Opry celebration also featured performances from a host of country stars and ended with archival footage of Dolly performing "I Will Always Love You."
© Getty ImagesDolly's private farewell
The tribute came one day after Dolly was laid to rest in a private service on Friday, August 28. Her great-niece Lainey Parton confirmed that the intimate funeral was attended only by immediate family, allowing those closest to the superstar to say goodbye away from the public gaze.
It was a fittingly private farewell for a woman who, despite spending more than six decades in the spotlight, fiercely protected the most personal parts of her life.
