What were Betty White's last words? Actress called out for the love of her life
Veteran actress Betty White tragically died on New Year's Eve 2021, barely days ahead of her 100th birthday. The legendary comedienne and beloved Hollywood star reportedly passed away at her home before 9:30 am ET on Friday, December 31, 2021. She died of "natural causes", contrary to previous claims that she had received a Covid-19 booster shot on December 28. "Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home," confirmed her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas.
It has now come to light that the very last word of the veteran star before her death happened to be the name of her late husband Allen. White, who had been married thrice, was married to Allen Ludden from 1963 until his death in 1981. Ludden happened to be the love of her life and she did not get into another relationship after his tragic death. Now, White's co-star Vicki Lawrence has revealed that she called out her beloved husband's name right before she passed.
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Speaking to Page Six, 'Mama's Family' star Vicki Lawrence shared her conversation with friend Carol Burnett, who was the one to actually reveal Betty White's last word.
"Carol wrote back and said, "I know, I know. I spoke to Betty’s assistant, who was with her when she passed, and she said the very last word out of her mouth was Allen." How sweet is that? I said, "That is so sweet. God, I hope that’s true. For all of us, I really hope it’s true, a lovely thought,"' Lawrence shared.
Betty White and Allen Ludden's heartbreaking love story surpassed life and death as she held him close to her heart until the very end. It all started way back in 1961 when White was around 39 years old.
Twice married and divorced before age 30, it seemed at one point that White was not destined for marital bliss. Things changed in 1961 when White flew to New York to appear on a brand-new TV game show called 'Password'. Hosted by Allen Ludden, who was a widower, the popular game featured two pairs of celebrity contestants who vied to be the first to guess words using one-word clues.
White and Ludden hit it off right away, but each had work obligations on opposite sides of the country. That didn’t stop Ludden from wooing White from a distance, however. After proposing twice, he finally got her to say “I do” at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas on June 14, 1963, and the pair enjoyed a happy and successful marriage until his death from stomach cancer in 1981.
White had once told Closer Weekly that her only regret in life was not marrying Allen Ludden sooner. After the loss of her dear husband, she devoted herself to sitcom work and the animal charities she holds dear to this day. At one point, the comedic actress revealed that she missed having someone to hold, adding wistfully: “If you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?”