Country music legend Dolly Parton is apparently experiencing a rough patch in her personal life, as she battles declining health after losing her husband. Carl Dean died in March 2025 after spending five decades with her.
Parton, now 80 years old, had already called off her eagerly awaited Las Vegas residency show in late 2025 for health reasons. Sources close to the star said that losing her husband had hit Parton emotionally and physically hard.
"The life she lives now without him is crippled in comparison," an insider said as reported by The List. "To know that she will never be the same absolutely has affected her deeply. Emotionally, personally, physically, it all has taken a toll. This loss will and has forever changed her and is a main reason that she has had health issues as of late."
The grieving process has reportedly impacted Parton's ability to maintain her usual health routines. The source added, "She was not eating right, not doing the things she usually would do for her continued health, and she let things slip."
Yet Parton is resilient through all of this hardship. She shared an update on Instagram on May 4, 2026, assuring fans that her conditions are treatable and that she is responding well to medication, though side effects require her to take a break from performing.
Dolly Parton Struggles with Health, Emotional Issues After Husband's Death
A source told the Daily Mail that Parton is working through her grief while striving to maintain the person she became during her life with Dean. "She continues to try to figure it out because she wants to live her life, but she also wants to continue to represent the person she became when Carl was in her life," the insider said.
Though she may be physically sidelined for now, Parton remains active behind the scenes. She is focused on projects including her museum in Nashville, hotel construction, and the upcoming debut of "Dolly: A True Original Musical" later this year.
"And though she might be on the sidelines physically, she is passing the time writing more, and when she makes her comeback, it is going to be as spectacular as you could ever imagine," the source added.
Parton has also found comfort in helping at the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital during this challenging period.
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