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The death of Dolly Parton has prompted an outpouring of grief from fans around the world, many of whom have shared that they feel like they’ve lost someone they knew personally.
Grief experts say it’s possible to experience genuine feelings of loss even if there wasn’t a personal relationship — particularly when the public figure has become woven into people’s memories and routines over a long period of time.
Psychologists refer to this type of loss as parasocial grief, according to licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Dara Houp.
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“When a celebrity shares their personal life – childhood experiences, hardships and victories – our brains register these bits of information through the same emotional and neural pathways utilized for our real-life friendships and a genuine attachment is developed,” Houp, with Pathways Psychological Services in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
When that perceived relationship comes to an end, people may experience the parasocial grief, she said.
Desiree Taranto, a licensed mental health counselor and clinical director at Empower Your Mind Therapy in New York City, said the widespread reaction also reflects “collective grief,” a shared emotional response when a loss resonates across a community.
“Parton’s music, movies, philanthropy and public persona became part of many people’s family traditions, memories and difficult life moments,” she told Fox News Digital.
Fans share their grief
“I honestly didn’t know I could react that way over someone I don’t even personally know,” one user wrote in a grief support group on Reddit. “[Dolly] was a ray of sunshine in this dark world nowadays, and I just can’t help but cry and get so emotional about it.”
Another user shared that “as each day passes, losing Dolly seems to hurt more instead of less. I have found myself crying and feeling this deep sadness that I just can’t shake.”
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“I never met Dolly, and I know she didn’t know me, but I loved her for most of my life. That love was real, and so this grief feels real too.”
Someone else in a different group referred to the feelings of sadness as “post-Parton depression.”
“I don’t know why I am taking Dolly Parton’s death so hard,” one user wrote. “I never met her… She didn’t know me. But for some reason, I can’t stop crying.”
“I think the reason it’s hard is because she was a light and just a wonderful human,” someone else shared. “She is exactly who Jesus wanted us to be.”
Why does it feel personal?
The emotions people experience when grieving a celebrity can feel as real as those felt after losing someone they knew personally, Houp said.
“Perceived relational intimacy, not whether we actually know an individual, is largely what determines the intensity of grief,” she said. “The emotional connection your brain developed runs along the same neural pathways as real-life bonds.”
“Accept your feelings and know that it is okay to mourn someone you never met.”
It’s also possible that the deaths of certain celebrities — particularly those associated with childhood, family traditions or major life moments — are more likely to trigger an intense grief response, the expert noted.
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“When a celebrity’s life is connected to a personal milestone — such as a break-up or the birth of a child — their death permanently disrupts a living connection to who, what or where you used to be,” Houp said. “Losing a celebrity can feel like losing a piece of your own history.”
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A song may be tied to someone who has died, a family memory or a difficult period when Parton’s work brought comfort, Taranto noted, making the loss feel connected to a person’s own life story.
Over decades in the public eye, Parton gave fans a window into her life, allowing them to form a sense of who she was, Houp said.
“For many who followed Dolly’s life, she represented resilience and ambition, authenticity and bold self-expression, and a rare, unconditional kindness,” she said.
“We identified with the goodness we saw in Dolly and felt encouraged by her ability to overcome hardship – thereby furthering our sense of connection to her.”
Tips to navigate grief
Taranto offered advice for those feeling the grief following Parton’s death.
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“Accept your feelings and know that it is okay to mourn someone you never met,” she said. “Do not judge yourself or feel embarrassed because that person’s work, values or advocacy touched your life personally.”
It can also help to reach out to others who are also grieving the loss.
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“Be there for each other and allow others to be there for you,” Taranto advised. “Tell stories, listen to her music, watch her movies or journal about what she meant to you.”
“Remember the positive impact she made in the world and the ways she used her platform for good. Shared grief can help us process a loss because it reminds us that we are not alone in it.”
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