Dolly Parton's Loved Ones Rushed to See Her at Hospital After Country Singer's Health Took 'Unexpected Turn' Before Tragic Death

Dolly Parton's health reportedly took a sharp decline shortly before her death, as loved ones rushed to Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center after the singer was admitted on August 21, RadarOnline.com reports.

According to TMZ, Parton had been hospitalized with kidney and autoimmune issues, but those closest to the country legend reportedly believed she would pull through and had no idea her passing was imminent.

After Parton was admitted to the hospital, her loved ones began to visit, but they reportedly expected her to make a full recovery.

The outlet reported that those in the legendary entertainer's closest circle did not foresee that she would die during her stay.

In the heartbreaking video announcing Parton's passing, her nephew, Bryan Seaver, revealed that the country legend left behind a large family. Six of her 11 siblings are still living, as Parton was the fourth of 12 kids born to her parents, Avie Lee and Robert Lee Parton.

While Parton and her late husband, Carl Dean, never had children of their own, the Coat of Many Colors singer helped raise several of her nieces and nephews who called her "Aunt Granny."

Seaver noted that his aunt was "Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next," referring to the common nickname for "great-grandmother."

Earlier this month, Parton had to cancel a personal appearance at her famed Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, because her doctor ordered her not to travel.

In a recorded message to fans on the day her latest ride, NightFlight Expedition, was due to open, the 11-time Grammy winner apologized for not being there in person.

"I’ve told you before that I’ve had a few little health issues, and sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated. And I’m dehydrated."

"So my Nashville doctor has kind of clipped my wings, saying, 'You ain’t traveling this week.' So I guess if your doctor tells you, 'You ain’t traveling this week,' you ain’t traveling this week," Parton added.

On the day that Parton reportedly entered the hospital, People ran an interview with the 9-to-5 star, in which she described having "hard times" with her health more recently.

"I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl," Parton admitted, revealing she had neglected her own well-being while caring for her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, who died in March 2025.

Fans began to worry about Parton's health when she announced in September 2025 that she was postponing her six-date Dolly: Live in Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace's Colosseum, originally scheduled for December of that year.

Parton said at the time that she was dealing with "health challenges" and "my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures" while joking they did not involve plastic surgery.

The Tennessee native announced in a May 4 Instagram Reel that the residency shows rescheduled for September 2026 were being scrapped altogether due to ongoing health issues.

"The good news is I'm responding really well to meds and treatments, and I'm improving every day," Parton told fans. "The bad news is, it's gonna take me a little while before I'm up to stage performance level because some of the meds and treatments make me a little bit 'swimmy headed' as my grandma used to say."