E! NEWS
Betty White's friend is remembering her for the "great lady" she was. The Golden Girls star died at home on Dec. 31 at age 99, her agent Jeff Witjas previously confirmed to E! News.
Now, he's sharing his tribute to the iconic star. "Betty was a great lady," he exclusively told E! News. "Most actors on television are playing a role. Betty White is what she has showed to her public as to who she is. She was really genuine in that way." Witjas also recalled her lasting legacy and her impact on animals through her charity work."To all her fabulous fans, I would just say remember Betty's legacy," said her longtime friend. "The kindness, the goodness, the love of animals."
He also suggested some ways fans can continue her activism as the hashtag #BettyWhiteChallenge spread on social media. "Betty never asked people to give money," he said. "Betty never did that, but it's a nice gesture to shelters. Maybe even adopt an animal." Witjas continued, "But to me, it's really just remembering the greatness of Betty White, the kindness and the laughter she has left for us with all her performances." He added that no memorial service is planned at this point and any arrangements are private to her family.
Earlier this week, Witjas shed light on White's cause of death. According to the agent, she "died peacefully in her sleep at her home." He said in a statement, "People are saying her death was related to getting a booster shot three days earlier but that is not true. She died of natural causes... Her death should not be politicized—that is not the life she lived." Stars ranging from Steve Martin to Viola Davis have honored White with social media messages following her death.
Vicki Lawrence—who co-starred with her on The Carol Burnett Show and Mama's Family—recently shared White's final words with E!'s Daily Pop, which she said sweetly referenced the actress' late husband, Allen Ludden. "[Carol Burnett] texted me back and she said that she spoke to Betty's assistant who was with her when she died," Lawrence said. "Her assistant said the last word out of her mouth was 'Allen.' She said, 'How sweet and loving is that?' Lawrence recalled, "I said, 'It's so sweet and so loving and, god, I hope it's true.'" Witjas is also familiar with White's enduring love for Ludden, the game show host who died of cancer in 1981. "I don't think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden," he said last week. "She believed she would be with him again."
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