The late Dolly Parton is known for her larger-than-life personality, decades-long country music career, and seemingly endless generosity. But one of her most consequential gifts came in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic after most of the U.S. was sent under lockdown.
“My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards research of the coronavirus for a cure,” Parton wrote on social media in April 2020. “I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations.”
