Dolly Parton has revealed that she turned down former president Donald Trump’s civilian honour of the Presidential Medal of Freedom twice.
The country music legend recently sat down with NBC in an interview that saw her reveal that she first declined the honour as her husband was ill, and declined a second time due to travel anxiety in the age of coronavirus.
“I couldn’t accept it because my husband was ill,” Parton revealed. “and then they asked me again about it and I wouldn’t travel because of the Covid.”
Dolly went on to detail that the Biden administration has also offered her the honour, but she is hesitant to take it in fear of looking political.
“Now I feel like if I take it, I’ll be doing politics, so I’m not sure,” she mused. “I don’t work for those awards. It’d be nice but I’m not sure that I even deserve it. But it’s a nice compliment for people to think that I might deserve it.” Ever humble and gracious is our beloved Dolly.
Back in April, Dolly Parton made a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville to assist with coronavirus vaccine research. A donation that assisted in funding research for the Moderna vaccine — which is currently testing at 94.5% effective against the virus.
“I’m sure many, many millions of dollars from many people went into that but I felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that hopefully will grow into something great and help to heal this world,” she told BBC back in November. “Lord knows we need it!”
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In a recent interview with USA TODAY, Parton was asked whether she had received the vaccination. To which she revealed that she is waiting in the inoculation line like everybody else.
“I’d get it now, but I’m not going to jump the line,” Parton said. “I think we’re going to need it, because things are not looking good out there.”
“I think I’m getting more credit than I deserve,” Parton mused of her involvement with the vaccine. “But I was just so happy to be a small part, and to plant a seed that would grow into something bigger.”
Parton’s donation was inspired by her friendship with the late Dr. Naji Abumrad, a researcher at the Nashville university.
“My heart always guides me and leads me,” Parton added on her decision to make the donation. “Early on, just when they first started talking about that pandemic, I sensed that this was not going to be good.”
