Dolly Parton's secret final days and Miley Cyrus' total shell shock
Four days before the shock announcement of her death at age 80 on Tuesday, country music's long-reigning queen Dolly Parton had given fans one final glimpse behind the rhinestones.
TL;DR
- Dolly Parton died at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
- She had been secretly dealing with severe health issues for months, which were worse than she let on to fans.
- Her pain was exacerbated by the recent deaths of her husband Carl Dean and her brother Coy 'Denver' Parton.
- Parton withdrew to her Tennessee compound and kept her illness a secret from all but a small circle of friends and family.
- She maintained a glamorous public image, using makeup and wigs to hide her declining health during public appearances and interviews.
- Despite her illness, she continued to work on projects like a Broadway musical.
- Her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, is devastated by the news, having always seen Parton as a strong figure.
- Parton's substantial fortune and business empire, including Dollywood and her Imagination Library, will be managed according to her will.