Nov. 21 2025, Published 7:05 p.m. ET Dolly Parton is at the center of fears she’s at death’s door – with insiders telling RadarOnline.com the pint-sized country icon has been putting a brave face on her drastic decline by recently telling the world, “I ain’t got time to get old!” The singer-songwriter, who is set to turn 80 in January, has spent the autumn battling what she has called “health challenges,” prompting a string of canceled appearances from Las Vegas to Tennessee. Health Challenges and Missed Events She was recently forced to accept the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors Awards via video link, then appeared only virtually again when she was inducted into the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame for her Dollywood theme park. “You probably heard that I’ve been dealing with a few health challenges this fall and my doctors told me to take it easy for just a little while,” she said in her Hall of Fame message. Her absences follow weeks of mounting speculation ignited when her younger sister, Freida, publicly urged fans to pray for her. Insiders close to the pint-sized Jolene singer now say her recent quips about defying age masked deeper concerns. One longtime associate claimed: “She wanted everyone to believe she was powering through, but those of us nearby could see she was struggling. Dolly hates worrying people, but she hasn’t been herself.” Inner Circle’s Bleak Fears Another insider bleakly added: “This could be it for her; many of her inner circle fear she’s at death’s door.” But plucky Parton has been insisting she is on the mend. In an Instagram video filmed at an ad shoot, she chirped, “Do I look sick to you?” and added, “I want you to know that I’m okay!” Yet industry colleagues express severe unease about the state of her health, saying the missed appearances marked a rare break from her trademark stamina. An insider claimed: “Dolly’s the toughest person I know, but the truth is she’s been fragile. She’s pushing hard to stay upbeat, but it hasn’t been an easy season for her.” The iconic singer has revealed a kidney stone-related infection contributed to the postponement of her Las Vegas residency until September 2026, but has otherwise kept details private. Sister’s Emotional Plea Her sister Freida’s emotional appeal on Facebook in early October intensified fans’ alarm over the state of the singer, as she wrote: “Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” “Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been led to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me.” Freida later clarified she had not meant to imply her sibling’s condition was dire, and she was only stressing her belief in the “power of prayer.” But insiders say the moment reflected real family worry. Parton herself acknowledged in a recent interview she has had to slow down. “You know, I have just been going so fast my whole life,” she said. “How in the world did I even have a life?” Reflecting on the sacrifices behind her career, she added she was grateful to have “gotten to see my dreams come true.” She also emphasized her refusal to dwell on aging. Parton declared: “People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what?… I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!'” The past year has also brought extreme personal strain for the icon. Her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, died in March at 82, a loss friends say deeply affected her. One family source said, “She poured everything into caring for Carl, and afterward her own health took a back seat. That’s catching up with her now… badly.”
https://radaronline.com/p/dolly-parton-death-fears-health-concerns-raised/