Betty White's Cause Of Death - What We Know So Far

Just a few weeks ago, "Golden Girls" star Betty White told People that she was "so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at [her] age." The beloved actress was even getting excited to celebrate her 100th birthday on January 17, 2022. However, it was reported by TMZ that White died at her home on Friday, December 31 at the age of 99, just shy of the new year.

Just the day before, news publications were reporting on White's "good health" and interview with People where she joked that her former "The Proposal" co-star Ryan Reynolds still had a crush on her. White even said, "I've heard Ryan can't get over his thing for me, but Robert Redford is The One." The "Deadpool" actor even carried on the joke on his Twitter, saying, "I'm absolutely sick of the media exploiting past relationships just to drive clicks." With such good-natured humor and positive attitude for the future, no one would have expected White would die just a few days before her big birthday.

While Betty White may have been close to her 100th birthday at the time of her death, many fans were shocked of the news on Friday. The actress and comedian seemed to be in relatively good health. She even told People the key to living a long and healthy life was to "always find the positive," which is something she got from her mother. 

According to TMZ, a source said that White wasn't feeling ill at the time of her death or battling any ailment, which points to natural causes as the cause of death. It was also reported that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, White hadn't been leaving her home that much and a rep even said that, "No one [was] permitted in [her home] except those who must" be there (via New York Post).

The day her death was announced, the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted out that the preliminary investigation into White's cause of death was revealed to be a natural cause of death. The statement also mentioned that "there was no evidence of foul play."

Just before her death, Betty White did an exclusive interview with People where she discussed her secrets to a happy and long life. The actress, who was about to turn 100, said that she was "so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at [her] age." While keeping a positive attitude was number one on her list for staying healthy, the "Golden Girls" star also joked that her good health was due to her diet, which consisted of avoiding "anything green."

In fact, White often joked about the food that kept her living close to 100 years. She told Parade that she enjoyed vodka and hot dogs, "probably in that order." As much as you think the veteran actress was joking, it's been reported that White often mentioned her love of hot dogs in interviews (via Spoon University). It makes you wonder if the study that said eating one hot dog can take 36 minutes off your life is actually true, than perhaps White would have lived until she was 150 (via News10 ABC). 

You can also ditch the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" as well, because according to Harper's Bazaar, White once said, "I'm not a big breakfast eater." She would rather just have a sandwich for lunch, and treat herself to "a vodka on the rocks" before dinner. So, take a cue from White and just eat what you like, when you like. That's the real key to living a happy and long life.

Betty White was even active and working up until 2019, when she had a voice role in the most recent "Toy Story" movie, according to IMDb. She even joked back in 2017 with CNN that she felt lucky to be working at her age and that she would "go to [her] grave saying, 'Can I come in and read for that tomorrow?'" White even confessed that one of her secrets to staying forever young was to keep "busy all the time," which she credited to her friend and "good agent," Jeff Witjas (via People). 

White really did have a long career that even got her the nickname the "First Lady of Television," according to Salon. Between all the sitcoms she starred in, White also appeared on a number of game shows in 1960s. It was on the show "Password" where she met her late husband Allen Ludden and earned the nickname the "First Lady of Game Shows." White and Ludden's marriage was something out of a fairy tale, and even Witjas admitted that he didn't "think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden" once again (via People). Hopefully, when "Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home," she was reunited with Ludden in spirit.