The Official Cause Of Betty White's Death Has Been Revealed
After Betty White died on December 31st, the world joined together in mourning. The trailblazing television legend had the longest career of any female star on the silver screen (per CNN). White's legacy, which includes fan-favorite shows like "Golden Girls," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and "Hot in Cleveland," plus her amazing role in the film "The Proposal," was impressive. While she was nearly 100 years old when she died, many of her fans wished she could have lived 100 more.
Her agent, Jeff Witjas, shared the sentiment of her fans. In a statement, he told People, "Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever," adding, "I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again."
At first, the cause of White's death was not given. Now, though, we are learning the heartbreaking details.
White passed away from natural causes
Fans of the legendary actress and comedian should rest easy knowing White did not suffer when she died. According to Page Six, she peacefully died in her sleep. The cause of death was natural, her agent shared.
Witjas told People, "Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home." Of course, conspiracy theorists online reported that White had passed after receiving her COVID-19 booster vaccine, but Witjas quickly shut those rumors down. "People are saying her death was related to getting a booster shot three days earlier, but that is not true. She died of natural causes," adding, "Her death should not be politicized — that is not the life she lived."
Rather than politicizing her death, White wanted to be remembered for her sense of humor and overall positive demeanor (via Parade). When asked the question, she shared, "I hope they remember something funny. I hope they remember a laugh."
White was not afraid of death
Fans of Betty White were constantly fearing her death (via The Washington Post). As the "Golden Girls" actress got older, the fear of seeing her name as a trending topic on Twitter could cause fans to panic. When news broke of her passing, fans flocked to Twitter, hoping it was some sort of hoax, only to be met with the sad news that it was not. However, White's fans can find solace in the fact that she was not afraid to die. In an interview with Katie Couric for "CBS Sunday Morning," White shared her optimistic outlook on death.
When Couric asked the legendary actress if she was afraid of death, she responded, "No, not at all. Not at all. My mother had the most wonderful outlook on death. She would always say, 'Nobody knows. People think they do, you can believe whatever you want to believe what happens at that last moment, but nobody ever knows until it happens.' But, she said, it's a secret. So, all growing up, whenever we'd lose somebody, she'd always say, 'Now, they know the secret.'"
While she now knows the secret, many believe White was also unafraid of the other side because she was optimistic she would be reunited with her one true love, her late husband Allen Ludden.
She believed she would be reunited with her late husband
Fans of Betty White in the later years of her life will likely recall never seeing her in public with a man on her arm. After her husband, Allen Ludden, died in 1981, she never remarried (via We Got This Covered). Ludden was a television star himself, hosting the infamous game show "Password."
The TV stars were introduced via their agents and the romance heated up quickly. In fact, Ludden proposed to White before she was ready to make that commitment. However, he wasn't giving up on their love. In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, White recalled him saying, "You might as well take [the engagement ring] because you're going to put it on one day." Sure enough, she eventually did. The couple spent 18 years together before his death from cancer after which White remained single, feeling she could never find a love as special as the one she shared with her late husband.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, White's last words were about her late husband. Comedian Vicki Lawrence, known best for her role on "The Carol Burnett Show," shared the final words White spoke before she passed away in her sleep. According to Lawrence, White's assistant told her that the star's last word was "Allen." She said, "That's so lovingly sweet."