Representative teams for Dolly Parton have released official confirmation regarding the singer’s cause of death following her passing at the age of 80 on Tuesday morning, August 25.
A spokesperson for Parton confirmed that the iconic entertainer passed away following a brief battle with cancer. While her representatives did not specify the exact form of cancer, reports from TMZ noted that Parton was hospitalized in the days leading up to her passing while dealing with kidney and autoimmune complications.
In a statement provided to People, her team reflected on her extensive cultural legacy:
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched. Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand,” her representatives shared.
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact. After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”
Close sources indicated that her final decline occurred rapidly, leaving loved ones and fans shocked by the sudden nature of her passing
