Betty White seemed to be in 'great spirits' in her last recorded video just days before her death
Betty White was on the verge of celebrating her centennial when she unpredictably passed away on December 31, 2021, due to natural causes. However, her zest for life was infectious during her final days; the comedian happily recorded a special film segment for fans titled 'Betty White: A Celebration.' The glitzy film highlighting her career and life was planned to premiere on her birthday with a red-carpet event. Director and producer Steven Boettcher revealed that the 'SNL' actress was in "great spirits" 10 days prior to her death. "She was great, she was funny, she was the adorable Betty White we all know and love," he said. "I mean, you see her and you just can't help but love her and she was amazing — just amazing."
Boettcher explained that White came up with the concept to surprise her fans and was excited to dress up for the video. "She was really pointed too about talking to the fans and just saying how much love and admiration she has for them, and it's so sincere; she really meant it," he said. "And this was her idea to do this little video. It's very, very sweet," he added. "She was excited about getting dressed up, too, and getting glammed up." The film was released by local theatre Fathom Events on her major milestone birthday with the revised title 'Betty White: A Celebration from Betty White: 100 Years Young.' Boettcher disclosed that they got extremely close while working on the project and it was a 10-year labor of love.
White's cheerful disposition also affected how she perceived death; in a 2012 interview with the New York Times, the 'You Again' actress told journalist Frank Bruni that she had inherited her mother's optimism about death. As per People, White confessed that she never feared death or the aging process, "My mother had a wonderful approach to death," she explained. "She always thought of it as — she said, 'We know we have managed to find out almost anything that exists, but nobody knows ... what happens at that moment when it's over.'" The veteran comedian thought of death as 'a secret.' She believed that since nobody knew what happened during the time and after death, it remained like an open mystery.
"It's the one secret that we don't know.' So whenever we would lose somebody very close and very dear, she would always say, 'Well, now he knows the secret.' And it took the curse off of it somehow," she said, dispensing her sage advice. "I have no fear or dread of death," she added with enthusiasm. "[But] I'm happy as a lark to stay around as long as I can." She repeated her views while appearing on CBS Sunday Morning with Katie Couric the same year. The acting legend retired to a quiet life during her twilight years; she was more involved in animal welfare projects and philanthropic work. The "cockeyed optimist," as she called herself, expressed gratitude for her long life: "I'm so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age. It's amazing," she told People in an exclusive before her death.