Dolly Parton Issues Heartfelt Apology for Missing Awards Ceremony as Health Challenges Persist. ML
Key Points
- Dolly Parton missed the Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame ceremony due to health challenges.
- She accepted the honor virtually, expressing gratitude and reflecting on Dollywood’s origins.
- Parton previously assured fans about her health, stating, “I ain’t dead yet!”
Dolly Parton has apologized for missing the Hall of Fame ceremony for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions amid ongoing health challenges.
On Monday, Nov. 17, the country star was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame for her theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Parton accepted the award virtually via a video message that was shared to Instagram on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
“Well hey, there it’s Dolly,” she said while accepting the award. “And I sure wish I could be with you in person today, but 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.”
“And I’m truly sorry I can’t be there, but I sure wanted to take the chance to say, thank you for this incredible honor,” she continued.
Parton then reflected on the moment she came up with the idea to open Dollywood, which first opened its doors nearly 40 years ago in 1986. Before Parton took over, the park was a small tourist attraction known as “Rebel Railroad.”
“I dreamed of a place right here in the Smoky Mountains where my family could perform and where we could provide steady work for the good people in our community and where families could come and laugh and play and have fun, and make memories together,” she said.
Parton also noted she was “so grateful that you consider me worthy of this recognition,” before adding that the honor was a “big, incredible way” to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of the theme park.
“For me and for everyone who makes Dollywood what it is, and all my friends and partners, and to all of you out there helping families make magic every day in your own parks and places,” she concluded. “Remember that I will always love you and thank you again.”
This is not the only award the country icon has had to accept remotely this week. On Sunday, Nov. 16, Parton virtually accepted her Honorary Oscar at the 2025 Governors Awards.
In October, Parton addressed fan speculation about her health after social media posts made by her sister Stella sparked widespread concern. In a now-viral clip, she assured fans she was doing well and recovering from kidney stones by exclaiming, “I ain’t dead yet!”
