It has been 20 days since the iconic and beloved actress Betty White passed away. As Mamas Uncut previously reported, White died in her sleep on December 31.
In the days leading up to her passing and beyond, people had been anxiously awaiting to celebrate White’s 100th birthday with her. The actress would have hit the incredible milestone on January 18.
And while White may have not been around for the celebration, people still honored her and her incredible legacy. Along with the Betty White Challenge, which asked fans to donate money to animal charities, her beloved staff also used her social media platforms to remember the actress.
More specifically, her assistant, Kiersten Mikelas, shared the last known photos taken of White before she died. Now, Kiersten Mikelas has shared the video message Betty White recorded for her fans that was supposed to be released on her 100th birthday.
‘Stick Around’: Betty White Had One Last Message to Her Fans as Her Birthday Celebration Video Is Released
“I just want to thank you all for your love and support over the years,” White said in the video with a big smile on her face. “Thank you so much! And, stick around.”
As Mikelas wrote in the caption, White’s team is blown away by the number of her fans who have participated in the Betty White Challenge. “As we continue to see number coming in from all over the world — it’s just absolutely amazing how much money all of you raised for the animals through #thebettywhitechallenge.”
“She could never have imagined such an outpouring of love and would have been so grateful to everyone. When we recorded her special message to fans who attended the movie, we also recorded one that we had planned to put on social media on her birthday. She was using the occasion of her 100th birthday to celebrate YOU – her fans. She knew how lucky she was; she felt the love, and she never took it for granted. I think it’s appropriate to post today as a thank you from Betty and the animals.”
In her last interview with People about her upcoming birthday, the star said she was “so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age. It’s amazing.”
She even joked about her secret to a long and fulfilling life which included being a “cockeyed optimist,” avoiding “anything green,” and always celebrating with a vodka on the rocks with a lemon peel and a hot dog on the side! White sure knew how to live a beautiful life.
RELATED: 59 Betty White Quotes to Celebrate What Would Have Been Her 100th Birthday
While White passed away peacefully in her sleep, it was reported on her death certificate that she suffered a “mild” stroke just 6 days before her death.
As people wrote in the comments section of her last video, fans said it was “good to keep hearing her voice,” but that the video brought tears to their eyes. “We love you forever,” many said to Betty.