COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As fans across Tennessee and beyond continue remembering Dolly Parton's legacy, one Brentwood family is reflecting on a Christmas Eve encounter more than three decades ago that they say perfectly captured her generosity and kindness.
The Richardson family had recently moved back to Tennessee in the winter of 1993. Tony and Terry Richardson's children, Walter and Holland, were 5 and 7 years old.
Like many families during the holiday season, the Richardsons spent Christmas Eve driving around looking at Christmas lights. "That was a family tradition of ours, to drive around and look at Christmas lights," Walter Richardson said.
That drive eventually took them past Dolly Parton's home in Brentwood. "That night, we drove by and the gate was open," Holland Richardson said.
Tony Richardson remembers pulling into the driveway and debating whether the family should go any farther. "I looked at [Terry] and I said, 'What do you think?'" he said. "She said, 'What do you mean, what do you think?' I said, 'Do you think we should go up there?' She said, 'I don't know.' The kids said, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah.'"
"I felt like I was begging and pleading," Holland Richardson added.
As they approached the home, Terry Richardson spotted someone outside. That person turned out to be Dolly Parton's brother, Randy. "We were definitely expecting a kind, 'Hey, thanks for stopping by, time to turn around and skedaddle,'" Walter Richardson said.
Instead, Randy Parton extended an invitation that left the family stunned. "And he said, 'Oh, just come on in. You can wish her a Merry Christmas yourself,'" Terry Richardson said. "And we're like, are you kidding me?"
Before long, the family found themselves inside Parton's home. "I don't remember how we even got in," Holland Richardson said. "I know we were in the kitchen and introduced to people."
"And then I look up — and down this long, really long dark hall comes Dolly," Terry Richardson said.
"She just looked like a dream. That's the only way I could describe it," Holland Richardson added.
What happened next left an even bigger impression. "She says, 'Well, y'all just come on in,'" Terry Richardson recalled. "'Look at all this food we've got. Sit down and eat with me.'"
Walter Richardson now laughs about turning down the offer. "It was kind of an 'Oh, we had just eaten' kind of thing, which was a huge mistake," he said.
Before the family left, Parton insisted the children receive a Christmas gift. According to Terry, Parton gave the children a copy of her Coat of Many Colors book and cassette.
Parton also posed for a photo with the family and later mailed them a copy. Holland now jokes about how stunned the whole family looks in the photo. "We were there, but we were offline," she said.
More than 30 years later, the family says they're still amazed that Parton welcomed strangers into her private Christmas Eve celebration. "If we had been in Hollywood, we probably would have been in jail," Tony Richardson joked. "She's inviting us for food and telling us she wishes we had gotten there earlier. And we're just mesmerized."
For the Richardsons, the story has always been about more than meeting a celebrity. "She was herself through and through. Even on Christmas Eve when she could have been rude," Holland said.
Walter said the encounter continues to influence him years later. "It's made a big impact on my life. Just seeing the depth of kindness she had," he said.
The story didn't end on Christmas Eve.
A few months later, the family says they crossed paths with Parton again during a visit to Crockett Elementary School. They say Parton immediately recognized them and reminisced about their Christmas Eve visit.
"It really was something I don't think we'll ever forget," Terry Richardson said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Every night, Forrest Sanders brings us stories showcasing the best of humanity. This story profiles, perhaps, Tennessee's most eccentric resident who made an impact on an aspiring journalist. I'm always in awe of Forrest's storytelling; I truly appreciated his vulnerability with this one.
- Carrie Sharp
