SecretSe heartache
Dolly’s Alzheimer’s nightmare n
Country legend Dolly Parton’s 53-year marriage is tackling its biggest challenge yet. Her beloved husband has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Chatting at the premiere of her Netflix series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, the singer spoke fondly of hubby Carl Dean, saying the secret to their long marriage is respect.
“And he makes me laugh all the time,” she gushes. “We both have a warped sense of humour. It’s one of the things that’s kept us together all of this time.”
But the bubbly star was hiding a secret. Her husband has Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable condition that attacks the brain, destroying memory and other important mental functions.
“It’s early,” confirms a source. “It doesn’t seem in a bad stage yet, but he has it.”
Now the loving couple are preparing for the worst, leaning on friends and getting their financial affairs in order. And Dolly, 73, is doing what she does best: throwing herself into work.
“That’s why she’s been so busy of late,” the friend says of Dolly, who co-hosted the Country Music Awards on November 13, “to distract herself”.
While Dolly’s always loved the spotlight, Carl, 77, has famously preferred to stay in the background. “Carl likes not being seen because he’s able to live a normal life and go places without being bombarded,” tells the pal.
The couple, who met when Dolly was just 18 and Carl was 21, “are very private. Carl will attend her shows but doesn’t make himself known. A lot of times, he even buys his own ticket and shows up!” As Dolly says, “He hates the commotion.”
At home on their Brentwood, Tennessee estate, the two maintain a routine. “Dolly’s an early riser, often up before 5am,” reveals an insider. “She goes to a prayer chapel on their property to meditate and, if the mood strikes her, pen some lyrics.”
The “Jolene” hitmaker likes spoiling Carl, who owned a successful paving company in their early years. “She has breakfast waiting for Carl when he wakes up. She feels grounded when she can be the housewife that so often she wasn’t able to be with her career.”
Despite his illness, the two will continue boarding their luxury bus and taking off on spontaneous road trips.
“They’ve always gone on month-long vacations together,” reveals the pal. “They get to spend quality time together away.”
Late-night shoppers might even spot them in their local Wal-Mart. “They go to shop at 3am because it’s open 24 hours,” says the insider.
As she faces a future with an ailing husband, Dolly who earned $30 million in 2018 alone, has also been thinking about her legacy.
With no children of their own, Dolly’s making plans to ensure her fortune helps others. “She wants her money to go as far as it can to help poor families, especially the children,” reveals the insider.