Betty White dies at 99

Betty White has died, days before her 100th birthday. TMZ was the first to break the news.

Her death was confirmed by her agent to People magazine.

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Law enforcement confirmed the icon’s death to TMZ, saying that she died at her home Friday morning.

She was to turn 100 on Jan. 17.

“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” agent Jeff Witjas told People magazine in a statement. “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.”

In a recent interview with People magazine, she said she felt lucky to be healthy at her age and said she was always upbeat because she was “born a cockeyed optimist.”

White started her career on radio in the 1940s on the show “Blondie” among others before she got her own show. She transitioned to television on a variety show called “Hollywood on Television” and eventually co-starred on classics such as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Mama’s Family.”

Her career also branched out to movies and voice work. But she is probably best known as Rose on “The Golden Girls.”

White has won countless awards over the years including multiple Emmys, Screen Actors Guild Awards and even a Grammy, TMZ reported.

She was also the oldest person to host “Saturday Night Live,” CNN reported.

Before her death, she had told TMZ that she was being cautious by staying home and spending time watching TV, reading and doing crossword puzzles.

She had planned to celebrate her birthday with a small group of people and — as an avid animal advocate — as many animals as possible, NBC News reported.

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Betty White through the years A headshot portrait of American actor Betty White wearing a veiled hat, circa 1955. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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