Dolly Parton is not dying, she assured her worried fans on Wednesday in a video posted on her social networks.
“I want to say something,” the 79-year-old music legend said at the start of the video, which she said was taken on Wednesday. “I know lately everyone thinks I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I work hard here.”
She said she was “doing commercials for the Grand Ole Opry” and said, “I’m not dying.”
Parton’s spokesperson Marcel Pariseau told CBS News on Tuesday that she was filming the video to address everyone’s concerns. This comes after Parton’s sister, Freida Parton, posted on social media asking for prayers for the “9 to 5” singer.
“I wanted to reassure everyone,” Parton said in her video. “I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I could always use prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I’m okay.”
Parton appeared in good spirits and joked that she had seen AI footage of Reba McEntire on his deathbed.
“If I was really dying, I don’t think Reba would be the one on my deathbed. She might come visit me sooner,” she said. “Anyway, there are a lot of rumors going around, but I thought if you heard it from me, you’d know I was okay.”
The country superstar added that she didn’t take care of herself when her husband Carl Dean, who died earlier this yearhad been ill for a long time.
“When I got there, the doctor said, ‘We have to take care of this. We have to take care of that.’ Nothing major but I had to cancel some things so I could be closer to home,” Parton said.
Last month, Parton announced that she postpone his next concerts in Las Vegas facing recent “health challenges”.
“I’m not ready to die yet,” Parton said in conclusion. “I don’t think God is done with me and I’m not done working. So I love you for caring and thank you for praying for me.”