Betty White's Heartbreaking Last Photo On Instagram

Beloved screen queen Betty White's death on December 31 was shocking to many, even those closest to her. As TMZ reported, White was apparently not ill, although it did also report that White rarely left her house since 2020's pandemic quarantine began. As her agent and close friend Jeff Witjas shared with People upon her death, "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." Witjas added a silver lining for the world, sharing, "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." 

Best known for her iconic role as Rose Nylund on TV's "The Golden Girls," White was quickly remembered by fellow celebs on social media. Ellen DeGeneres tweeted, "What an exceptional life. I'm grateful for every second I got to spend with Betty White. Sending love to her family, friends and all of us," while fellow TV acting legend Henry Winkler wrote, "Thank you for yur [sic] humor , your warmth and your activism."

The unexpected timing of White's death has also cast a saddening pall over her own social media. Why were White's last words on Instagram particularly heartbreaking? 

Just three days before her death on New Year's Eve, Betty White shared her excitement via Instagram about turning 100 on January 17, a milestone that sadly won't come to pass. White wrote, "My 100th birthday... I cannot believe it is coming up, and People Magazine is celebrating with me!" about the December 28 People issue in which the ever-smiling White shared some life lessons on happiness. 

Self-described as "a cockeyed optimist," White insisted, "I got it from my mom, and that never changed. I always find the positive." In line with her jovial life philosophy, White spilled her dietary secret to a long life. "I try to avoid anything green," she joked. "I think it's working." Most heartbreakingly in hindsight, White told People, "I'm so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age. It's amazing." 

In an eerily foretelling comment on White's Instagram post, a fan had even lightheartedly joked, "Not until January 17th!! I swear People magazine if something happens to her before then, it's on you." However, most of her followers focused on joining in White's celebration before learning of her death on December 31. "Betty, we are exactly 50 years apart! Sharing a birthday with you is my biggest flex! From one Jan 17th'er to another HAPPY BIRTHDAY," one wrote. 

Though she wasn't a frequent poster, Betty White's Instagram showcases the comedian's beloved personality. White leaves behind many snapshots of her full life on the social media platform, including pics from her work, showing off her time on the series "Young and Hungry" and stopping by "The Late Late Show With James Corden." "A good time was had by all," White wrote.

White also shared a bit about her personal lifewith her Instagram followers. An avid animal lover, White posted several photos over the years that displayed her furry friends. "He may be 12, but he's my baby!!" White captioned a photo of her dog Pontiac on National Puppy Day in 2017. This year, White again celebrated her love of animals with an adorable throwback photo of the star holding a dog. "I have been a pet lover all my life," White wrote.

Betty White certainly saw plenty of changes in her 99 years of life before she died, with the rise of social media being one of them. The actor hilariously opened up about learning what Facebook was in her "Saturday Night Live" opening monologue after an online campaign led to her hosting gig in 2010.

"When I first heard about the campaign to get me to host 'Saturday Night Live,' I didn't know what Facebook was," White admitted. "And now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time." White, who was 88 at the time, chided her age when it came to using social media as a way to get in touch with old friends. "At my age," she joked, "if I want to get in touch with old friends, I need a Ouija board."