Dolly Parton gives back through her many charitable endeavors. One of her longest-standing charitable efforts is her Imagination Library. The program gifts free books to children through the age of 5. On a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Parton got to hear from a mom whose daughter benefited from the Imagination Library.
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During the episode, Clarkson asked an audience member named Liz to stand up and share her story with Parton. The woman proceeded to tell Parton that six years ago, she and her husband adopted a little girl named Rosie who was medically fragile and blind. Liz explained that doctors were unsure whether their daughter would survive, and there was doubt that she would be able to walk or talk.
However, Rosie soon began showing signs of progress, especially when she began humming songs (Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" was her first). Liz said that Rosie's progress continued when they began receiving braille books from the Imagination Library, which gave her the opportunity to read braille.
"Today our daughter's 6 years old, she's in the first grade. ... She was reading and writing braille before most children read and write print," Liz said. "And her teachers tell us she may be gifted."
"The big story of it is once that language all started coming together and her exposure, she was spinning on her little sit and spin one day and singing like she does all the time, and she started singing 'Amazing Grace.'" Liz says. "When she got to that part, 'And I was blind, but now I see,' I thought, 'My daughter does see.' She's going to see the world through the love and the generosity of people like you, Dolly, who stand in all those gaps that we have. Our family is so grateful for you."
Parton called Liz's story "wonderful" and said that testimonies like that make the effort so "worthwhile." Clarkson had another surprise up her sleeve, however, and she invited Rosie to the stage to meet Parton. Upon meeting Rosie, Parton introduced herself as "the book lady."
Rosie then took a seat next to Parton and asked if she and Clarkson would sing "Amazing Grace" for her. They did, and they asked Rosie if she'd like to sing. She chose to perform "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," and she excitedly sang while Parton and Clarkson joined in.
