Dolly Parton, the Grammy winning singer, songwriter and philanthropist whose career spanned more than six decades, has died at 80. Her death has sparked an outpouring of sorrow from fans around the world.

Many mourners have said the loss feels deeply personal, even though they never met Parton. Grief experts say those emotions can be genuine when a public figure has become connected to memories, routines and important moments over many years.

Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Dara Houp said psychologists refer to this experience as parasocial grief. She explained that people can develop genuine attachments when celebrities share details about their childhoods, hardships, victories and personal lives.

That information can be processed through the same emotional and neural pathways involved in personal friendships, according to Houp, who is with Pathways Psychological Services in New York City. Therefore, the end of that perceived relationship can lead to grief.

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Desiree Taranto, a licensed mental health counselor and clinical director at Empower Your Mind Therapy in New York City, said the widespread response also reflects collective grief. That describes a shared emotional reaction when a loss resonates throughout a community.

"Parton’s music, movies, philanthropy and public persona became part of many people’s family traditions , memories and difficult life moments," Taranto told Fox News Digital.

Fans have described the depth of their emotions in grief support groups on Reddit. Some expressed surprise that the death of someone they did not personally know could leave them crying and struggling with persistent sadness.

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"I honestly didn’t know I could react that way over someone I don’t even personally know," one user wrote. "[Dolly] was a ray of sunshine in this dark world nowadays, and I just can’t help but cry and get so emotional about it."

Another user said the pain appeared to be growing with time rather than easing. The fan wrote, "I never met Dolly, and I know she didn’t know me, but I loved her for most of my life. That love was real, and so this grief feels real too."

Someone in another group described the sadness as "post-Parton depression." Other fans similarly questioned why Parton’s death had affected them so strongly despite the absence of a personal relationship.

"I don't know why I am taking Dolly Parton's death so hard," one user wrote. "I never met her… She didn't know me. But for some reason, I can't stop crying."

Houp said grief intensity is largely shaped by perceived relational intimacy rather than whether someone actually knew the person who died. "Perceived relational intimacy, not whether we actually know an individual, is largely what determines the intensity of grief," she said.

The death of a celebrity can be especially difficult when that person is associated with childhood, family traditions or major life events, Houp noted. If the celebrity’s life became connected to a personal milestone, the death can disrupt a living connection to an earlier period.

"Losing a celebrity can feel like losing a piece of your own history," Houp said. A song may also be linked to someone who died, a family memory or a difficult period when Parton’s work provided comfort, according to Taranto.

Parton’s decades in public life gave fans a window into her experiences and helped them form an impression of who she was, Houp said. For many followers, Parton represented resilience, ambition, authenticity, bold expression and uncommon kindness.

Taranto encouraged mourners not to dismiss or judge their emotional reactions. "Accept your feelings and know that it is okay to mourn someone you never met," she said.

Connecting with others who are also grieving may help people process the loss, Taranto added. "Be there for each other and allow others to be there for you," she advised. "Tell stories, listen to her music, watch her movies or journal about what she meant to you."

Taranto also encouraged fans to remember Parton’s positive impact and the ways she used her platform. "Shared grief can help us process a loss because it reminds us that we are not alone in it."

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