Dolly Parton disclosed the name she selected for her future daughter prior to her passing
Parton passed away on August 25 after a short battle with cancer, surrounded by her loved ones.
Carl Dean, Dolly’s husband, passed away in March of last year. His death deeply affected her, leading Dolly to take a step back from public life. Now, she is reunited with him.
Despite their long-lasting love story that spanned over seventy years, the couple chose not to have children. Dolly discussed this decision numerous times, including in an interview with Today. She mentioned that her career required sacrifices that made motherhood impractical.
"I’ve made sacrifices, but I believe that I was meant to follow this path," Dolly Parton expressed.
"I sacrificed my time… Without the ability to spend moments with family, you give up time with friends, vacations, and work endlessly, but it’s a necessary sacrifice," she added.
Dolly Parton’s Choice Not to Have Children
In a 2020 episode of The Oprah Conversation, Dolly shared with Oprah Winfrey that her lack of motherhood granted her a level of independence that significantly contributed to her success.
"Because I didn’t have kids, and my husband was quite independent, I enjoyed my freedom," she said. "I believe this independence played a huge role in my success."
Dolly elaborated, "I didn’t have children because I felt that God intended for me to care for everyone else’s kids. This allowed me to engage in initiatives like the Imagination Library. Without this freedom, I couldn’t have accomplished the things I have today."
"If my circumstances were different, I wouldn’t be in the position to do all that I’m doing now."
Although she never became a mother, Dolly revealed in a 2014 interview with The Guardian that she and Carl had once envisioned the family they could have had.
Dolly Parton’s Dream for an Unborn Daughter
Furthermore, the beloved musician disclosed the name she would have chosen for a daughter.
"When my husband and I first got married, we often wondered what our kids would look like. Would they be tall like him or short like me? If we had a girl, we decided to name her Carla… We dreamed about it, but it wasn’t meant to happen. Now that we’re older, we feel grateful," Dolly told The Guardian.
She also mentioned, "I believe I would have been a wonderful mother. I likely would have sacrificed everything else out of guilt for leaving them to pursue my career. Everything would have changed, and I may not have achieved stardom."
Although Dolly didn’t have children, her desire to give back to younger generations led her to establish the Imagination Library in 1995. This program aims to send free books to children from birth until they turn five, nurturing a love for reading.
Imagination Library Initiative
She initiated it in honor of her father, who was illiterate. To date, over 300 million books have been distributed.
"Before he passed, my Daddy confided that the Imagination Library might be the most significant thing I have ever accomplished. His words meant the world to me, as the program is a tribute to him. He was the wisest person I knew, but I believe that his inability to read hindered him from reaching his dreams," Dolly shared, according to the Imagination Library website.
"My mission has been to inspire children to love reading. Initially, I aimed to reach kids in my hometown, but today, we have a worldwide program providing a book a month to over 3 million children."
Rest in peace, Dolly Parton.
CNN has apologized to Dolly Parton’s family following a significant error made shortly after her death.