Country legend Dolly Parton has pledged a personal donation of $1 million (£762,000) towards Hurricane Helene disaster relief efforts following the devastation caused by the hurricane.

At an event in Tennessee on Friday, the 78-year-old music icon announced that the funds for her generous donation would come directly “from my own bank account” to support the critical recovery process.

In addition to her personal contribution, Parton’s businesses, including her famous Dollywood theme park, will also provide $1 million in Dollywood donations to the Mountain Ways Foundation. This organization is actively assisting those affected by the flooding in the region, demonstrating the power of celebrity charity work during times of crisis.

During her heartfelt speech, Parton delighted attendees by briefly serenading them with an improvised version of her hit song “Jolene,” creatively changing the lyrics to “Helene, Helene” in honor of the ongoing hurricane relief efforts.

Hurricane Helene is the deadliest mainland storm since Katrina in 2005. Making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, Helene damaged structures, caused flash flooding, and knocked out power to millions of homes. As of Saturday, over half a million properties remain without electricity.

The U.S. government has indicated that the clean-up effort could take years. While a large proportion of the deaths occurred in North Carolina, fatalities have also been reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

“This is my home,” Parton said at Friday’s news conference, which took place outside a Walmart store in Newport, Tennessee. “God has been good to me, and so has the public, and I feel that if there’s anything I can do to give back in any way I can, I’m always willing to do that. I want to feel like I’m doing my part.”

Explaining that many of her relatives lived in the area, the singer added: “I was heartbroken like everybody else, and just amazed and devastated by it. All these people feel like my people.”

As for the impact on Tennessee, eleven people have so far been confirmed dead due to the storm, with more still unaccounted for. At least two factory workers were swept away by floodwaters in Erwin, located in the northeast part of the state, highlighting the ongoing need for effective flooding recovery initiatives.