Dolly Parton reflects on first year without husband Carl Thomas Dean

• Dolly Parton posted a heartfelt video tribute to her late husband Carl Thomas Dean.
• The singer thanked fans for their overwhelming support during her first year of grief.
• Parton and Dean were married for nearly six decades before his passing in 2025.
  

Dolly Parton has shared a poignant reflection regarding her life following the passing of her husband, Carl Thomas Dean.

Mr Dean died aged 82 on March 3, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. The couple had shared 59 years. Taking to her Instagram account on Monday, the 80-year-old American singer-songwriter posted a moving reel.

Within the footage, Parton candidly addressed the challenges of the previous twelve months. She stated, "I want you to know also that a lot of you have been concerned about Carl and me, and you were so great about that.

"But after going through a year of firsts, I mean the holidays, and especially our wedding anniversary, and the date of his death, March. 3, that was hard for me."

The legendary artist expressed profound gratitude for the global outpouring of sympathy she received during her mourning.

"But I will always love him, and I will always miss him, but you would be surprised at how much your love and concern meant to me during that time," she noted.

Parton described her home as being filled with tributes, remarking, "Lord, my house and my porch looked like the botanical gardens with all the flowers, and my den looked like the post office with all the cards and letters. So, yes, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you; you have been a big part of my healing."

The pair first met at a Nashville laundromat in 1964 and married on May 30, 1966. Parton remains focused on her enduring musical legacy.