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On Friday, December 31, veteran actor and star of hits like The Golden Girls and The Proposal, Betty White, passed away at the age of 99. The news of her demise was confirmed to PEOPLE by her agent, Jeff Witjas.
As per TMZ's report, Betty White passed away at her Los Angeles residence on Friday morning, around 9:30 AM. Emergency responders and LAPD officers were spotted outside her home after her death, which caused suspicion amongst paparazzi at the time.
The legendary nonagenarian actress reportedly remained at her home to avoid the pandemic which broke out last year. White had big plans to celebrate her 100th birthday, which was just days away.
Betty White's cause of death
While no official cause of death has been revealed yet, TMZ reported that Betty White passed away from natural causes. The news of her demise comes unexpectedly as the 99-year-old actress recently talked about her 'good health' to PEOPLE.
In last week's cover story of the Magazine, Betty White said:
"I'm so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age. It's amazing."
The late actress and comedian also jokingly mentioned her diet. She said:
"I try to avoid anything green. I think it's working."
White reportedly never had any serious health issues before her death. The actress was also not known to have any long-term illnesses.
Late Betty White's birthday plans prior to her unexpected death
Betty White had made extensive plans to celebrate her unfulfilled 100th birthday. She had a movie special slated to be released in select theaters on her birthday, i.e., January 17, 2022.
The Illinois native's birthday-special film, Betty White: 100 Years Young, would have featured several renowned celebrities. These included: Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and more.
In the trailer clip of the special, Betty White said:
"Hello, I'm Betty White. I feel so fortunate to have had as great a career as I've had for as long as I have."
The status of the film's release after White's demise remains unknown as of yet.
White's sudden demise garnered several tributes from celebrities, industry friends, and fans. Her longtime friend and The Proposal co-star, Ryan Reynolds, who had just tweeted a day before her death, wrote:
"The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We'll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret."
A memorial service for the late icon is expected to be announced soon. As of now, fans have started leaving their tributes and flowers outside Betty White's LA home.
