Dolly Parton spent most of her life giving to others, and according to her sister Stella, that never changed — even during some of her most difficult moments.

Stella recently opened up about a private conversation she had with Dolly concerning her medical care. She said Dolly made an unusual request: if doctors ever reached a point where they could no longer help her, she wanted them to use what they learned from her case to help someone else.

For Stella, the request said everything about the sister she knew.

Dolly had always been generous, but this wasn’t about money, fame or recognition. It was simply about the possibility that something she was going through could one day make a difference for another person.

That same spirit followed Dolly throughout her life. She quietly supported countless causes and famously created the Imagination Library, which has helped put books into the hands of millions of children.

But Stella’s memories aren’t only about the big things.

She also remembered the ordinary moments between two sisters — especially their Tuesday morning phone calls, when they would have coffee and talk before starting their day.

Those are often the moments people miss the most.

And perhaps that’s why Stella’s story has touched so many fans. Behind the rhinestones, the songs and the larger-than-life personality was a woman who never stopped thinking about other people.

Even during an incredibly difficult chapter of her own life, Dolly’s question wasn’t only about herself.

It was about who she might still be able to help.