Dolly Parton’s Quick-Thinking Saved Her Young Co-Star From Getting Hit By Car On Set

Feb 28, 2023 by apost team

When it comes to country music royalty, Dolly Parton is easily one of the most iconic names in the business. Known for her impeccable songwriting skills and unique singing voice, Parton has been a huge influence on the music industry for decades with hits such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “Coat of Many Colors.” She also penned and originally recorded “I Will Always Love You” in 1973 before it was later made famous by vocal powerhouse Whitney Houston in 1992.

Along with being a singer and songwriter, Parton is also best known for her work as an actress, author, businesswoman and humanitarian. She has been a pivotal figure in the industry for more than five decades, with her debut album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” released in 1967.

With so much time in the spotlight, Parton has had ample time to become a role model to many, as she has always made an effort to make a positive impact on the world with both her music and her personal actions.

What's more, she uses her platform to do good and speak out on topics that are meaningful to her. This included donating $1 million toward COVID-19 research, which was partly used to fund the Moderna vaccine.

Today, Parton is 77 years old and was named one of People’s People of the Year in 2021 for her philanthropic contributions and her overall state as a true icon. Parton’s kindness even transcends off camera; in fact, she could be called a guardian angel because of how heroic she was during an encounter on the set of her 2020 Christmas movie, “Christmas in the Square.” 

Read on to learn more about the accident that had everyone on the set of Parton’s movie on their toes. 

Parton’s heart for the people and charitable nature was inspired by the impoverished life she experienced way back when she was still a child. Parton was raised in a one-room cabin by the banks of Little Pigeon River in Pitman Center, Tennessee. Her father was a sharecropper who was illiterate, while her mother, with Welsh ancestry, regaled her children with stories and ballads. 

One of the challenges was the family barely fitting in the cabin, forcing them to spend much of their time outside. In 1978, she also revealed the first time she saw a toilet was when she was 8 years old at her aunt’s house.

Parton said the family made their own soap and, during winter, would only bathe about once a week. However, in high school, she said she had to wash every day, as they “all slept together” and the “kids peed on me every night.”

Despite the difficulties of her childhood, Parton retains fond memories and lessons from those years.

“My family will always be my greatest love. Sometimes it gets lost in the shuffle but there’s an element of family in everything I do. My music is shaped by my family,” she said.

To give back, Parton founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988, which began by offering scholarships to high school students. Then, it was followed by a free children's book gifting program in 1995 through the Imagination Library. 

In 2016, Parton established the My People Fund, which donated $1,000 per month to households who lost their homes to fire from the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains Wildfires. Through Parton's efforts, the My People Fund raised over $9 million and assisted more than 900 families.  

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Parton’s generosity isn’t just a facade; the singer’s kindness and good heart are actually something that her fans and fellow co-stars have admired. 

On her 75th birthday in 2021, instead of wishing for material items or other mundane things, Parton’s wish was a call for kindness. 

“This year my birthday wish is a call for kindness," Parton tweeted along with an old photo of herself. "We can't just hope for a brighter day; we have to work for a brighter day. Love too often gets buried in a world of hurt and fear. So today, January 19th, let's get to unearthing love."

Parton’s kindness has always been within her. In fact, she literally saved someone when she pulled her young co-star out of harm's way when they were about to be hit by an oncoming car on set. 

In an interview with Inside Edition in 2021, 9-year-old Talia Hill recalled how Parton came to her rescue during a frightening encounter on the set of their 2020 movie, “Christmas on the Square.”

“We were on-set, and I was at the hot chocolate station, and they said, ‘Go back to your beginning positions,” she told the outlet. So, there is a vehicle moving, and I was walking, and then somebody grabbed me and pulled me back. And I looked up, and it was Dolly Parton.”

Stunned by the save, Hill was at a loss for words on what happened after, and all she could remember was Parton, who said to her: “Well, I’m an angel, you know. I saved your life.”

Hill remembered that she was shocked at the time, but Parton, who was actually playing an angel in the movie, hugged and checked in on her. Hill’s mother cried as she rushed to the scene, and said: “Yes, you did, Dolly Parton! You did!” 

What do you think about Dolly Parton’s incredible save? Do you agree that Parton is actually an angel sent to earth? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Dolly Parton fans!