In the wake of Dolly Parton's death, her honorary goddaughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, shared her remembrance.
"The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share," Cyrus said on Instagram on Aug. 26.
"Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts," she continued.
"What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis."
Parton became Miley's godmother before Cyrus was born after Billy Ray Cyrus, who had become close friends with Parton while touring in 1992, asked her to take on the role.
"I will always
love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply," the pop star said. "We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things."
Before her death, Parton often said that she had known the "Wrecking Ball" singer's family before Cyrus was even born and described her role in the pop star's life as being an "honorary godmother."
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Parton became Cyrus's godmother before Cyrus was born after Billy Ray Cyrus, who had become close friends with Parton while touring in 1992, asked her to take on the role.
Parton later said, "I've known her since before she was born," describing her title as an "honorary godmother." And in 2009, Parton shared that she sees Cyrus as "just like one of my own."
Cyrus has also shared Parton was "like a mother" to her, offering her career and personal mentorship for decades.
In 2024, Ancestry found that Parton and Cyrus were actually distant cousins, identified as seventh cousins once removed. In response, Parton joked that she thought they would be "at least third cousins."
Reach out to Audrey Gibbs, a music reporter at The Tennessean, at agibbs@tennessean.com. You can also follow her on Instagram at @audreyraegibbs.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Miley Cyrus reacts Dolly Parton's death: 'She would want me to feel it'
