Dolly Parton has updated fans on how she’s coping two weeks after the death of her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Thomas Dean.
The Jolene singer, 79, appeared at a season opening for Dollywood and told Knox News she’s holding up well as she grieves, but feels like she has a “hole in her heart”.
“I’m doing better than I thought I would,” she candidly admitted.
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“It’s a hole in my heart, you know, but we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me.
“I’m at peace that he’s at peace, but that don’t keep me from missing him and loving him.”
Parton announced the shock news of her husband’s death on March 4, sharing a statement with fans.
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“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82,” the statement read in part.
A personal message from the singer read: “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.
“Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
On March 7, the hitmaker shared another statement thanking fans and friends for their support following the news.
She wrote: “He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you.”
She also dedicated a song to him a week ago, called If You Hadn’t Been There, writing: “I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old.”
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“We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song.
“He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him.”
Dolly Parton through the years: 1955 to 2022
The pair married in 1966 and kept their marriage out of the spotlight over the years.
She recently said on the Dumb Blonde podcast what was the key to their happy marriage, saying: “And I think one of the things that’s made it last so long through the years is that we love each other [and] we respect each other, but we have a lot of fun.”
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