A final farewell from Dolly Parton has now been made public by her family. "I will always love you," the message reads, posted to Parton's official Instagram account alongside a video from her nephew, Bryan Seaver.
At age 80, the country music legend, philanthropist, and entrepreneur died on Tuesday. Seaver confirmed the loss of his "aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean" in the video announcement.
Seaver explained that the announcement itself had been requested by his aunt long before this moment arrived. "This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment, but haven't truly felt it until now," Seaver said.
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The impact Parton had on her family was central to her nephew's reflection, as he described how she lifted up those around and behind her throughout her career, according to ABC News. "Dolly opened doors not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn't even know was possible," he said. "Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians, and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent. By her example, we believed that anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn't open, and the doors she opened made and changed history."
Carrying Parton's legacy forward is now the family's stated mission, Seaver said, describing their intention to keep her spirit alive "forever."
A private funeral, held per Parton's own wishes, will not be open to the public, the family confirmed, though they encouraged her many friends and fans to post tributes by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at www.dollyparton.com.
Video: King's Guard commemorates Dolly Parton at Buckingham Palace (Credit: Social media)
Before her death, Parton had shared with Seaver a specific wish for how she wanted to be laid to rest. "Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest," Seaver recalled. "Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly, and Granny, Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you."
