Betty White’s Cause of Death Revealed

Betty White’s death certificate reveals that the legend suffered a stroke six days before her passing on December 31 at the age of 99.

On Monday, TMZ reported that the “Golden Girls” actress’ cause of death was listed as a cerebrovascular accident — a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, resulting in brain tissue damage.

People magazine adds that this condition is typically caused by blood clots and broken blood vessels in the brain.

Despite this news, a source told People, “It was a mild stroke. She died peacefully in her sleep.”

White’s longtime agent and friend Jeff Witjas also told the publication, “Betty passed in her sleep peacefully without pain. To me this is the most important thing and brings me comfort as her dear friend. Anything else is private to Betty.”

On New Year’s Eve, TMZ broke the devastating news that White died at her home just before 9:30 a.m. on Friday — weeks before her 100th birthday.

Witjas also told People that day, “Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever.”

“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.”

Last week, friend Vicki Lawrence told The Hollywood Reporter that she was told White’s last words were reportedly a call for her third and last husband, who passed away in 1981 following a battle with stomach cancer.

“I talked to Carol [Burnett] yesterday, and we agreed it is so ------- hard to watch the people you love go away. She said she spoke to Betty’s assistant, who was with her when she passed, and she said the last word out of her mouth was ‘Allen.’ That’s so lovingly sweet. I hope that is true,” Lawrence recounted to the outlet.

In a 2011 interview with Anderson Cooper, White said she never remarried because Ludden was “the love of my life.”

“I had the love of my life. If you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?” she told the host.

Days before her death, White gave an interview to People where she said being “born a cockeyed optimist” is the key to her upbeat personality.

“I got it from my mom, and that never changed,” she says. “I always find the positive.”

She also joked about her diet, saying, “I try to avoid anything green. I think it’s working.”