On the last day of the year, December 31, 2021, actress and comedian Betty White passed away in her Brentwood, California home. White was 99 years old, and only 3 weeks out from her centennial birthday on January 17th, 2022. A documentary in celebration of this landmark birthday, titled, “Betty White: 100 Year Young,” had already been produced and was ready for its launch in the upcoming weeks.

The news of the star’s death came as a shock and sorrow to countless fans across the world, as she had long been graced with the title of “America’s Grandma.” Throughout her seven-decade-long career, White managed to win 28 awards, including 5 primetime Emmy awards, a Grammy, and a People’s Choice Award. White had shot to fame and won her first Emmy through her role as Sue Ann Nivens in the 70s sitcom ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’. She then went on to appear in several other roles, notably Rose Nylund in the 80s sitcom ‘Golden Girls.

As many fans mourned her loss in the past few weeks and lamented the fact that she had died only 17 days short of 100, some soon calculated that Ms. White would actually have reached her milestone birthday if the extra days from the 25 leap years she had lived through were added on. 

Whether you had actually watched her on television in one of her various roles or had watched her host Saturday Night Live at the ripe age of 88 (breaking a record for the oldest person to ever host), Betty White was known to all as an endearing, and seemingly immortal icon.