Betty White’s final word reportedly honored Allen Ludden, the late game show host and husband she considered the greatest love of her life.
When the beloved television icon passed away in December 2021 at the age of 99, fans around the world mourned not only the loss of a comedy legend, but also someone who seemed genuinely warm, funny, and endlessly charming right up until the end. But years later, one heartbreaking detail about her final moments continues to resonate with people.
According to actress and close friend Vicki Lawrence, White’s last spoken word was reportedly “Allen” — the name of her late husband, Allen Ludden.
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Honestly, it’s difficult not to feel emotional hearing that.
Lawrence shared the story during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, explaining that she learned about White’s final word through fellow television legend Carol Burnett. Burnett had reportedly spoken with White’s assistant, who was with her when she passed away.
“She said her very last word was ‘Allen,’” Lawrence explained, before adding, “That’s so lovingly sweet. I hope that is true.”
For many longtime fans, the detail felt painfully fitting.
Betty White Never Stopped Loving Allen Ludden
Betty White and Allen Ludden’s relationship has long been viewed as one of Hollywood’s most genuine love stories.
The pair first met when White appeared as a guest on Ludden’s hit game show, “Password.” At the time, White was already a rising television personality herself, but neither probably expected that appearance would completely change their lives.
Not long afterward, they worked together again during a theater production, and according to White, Ludden quickly started pursuing her romantically.
Interestingly, White initially resisted his marriage proposals.
In interviews years later, she admitted she kept saying no despite clearly loving him. Part of the hesitation came from not wanting to leave California and move to New York, where Ludden lived and worked at the time. But eventually, his persistence — and perhaps a few very sweet gestures — won her over.
One of the most memorable stories involved Ludden wearing the engagement ring around his neck after she refused to accept it. White later recalled how he kept the ring on a chain, even while visiting the beach.
Honestly, it sounds like something straight out of an old romance movie.
Eventually, Ludden sent her a stuffed bunny for Easter with diamond earrings attached, and White finally agreed to marry him.
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Betty White Later Admitted She Regretted Waiting
Even though their marriage became one of the happiest chapters of her life, White later admitted she regretted the time she spent turning him down.
During an interview with The Television Academy Foundation, she confessed that she wished she had accepted his proposal immediately instead of wasting a year saying no.
“I would have given anything to have had it back,” she admitted.
The couple ultimately spent nearly 18 years together before Ludden tragically died from stomach cancer in 1981. White was devastated by the loss, and despite remaining one of the most admired women in entertainment afterward, she never remarried.
In a 2011 appearance on “Anderson,” White explained why.
“I had the love of my life,” she said. “If you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?”
The audience immediately erupted into applause, though White, being White, still managed to squeeze in a joke about actor Robert Redford possibly changing her mind.
But underneath the humor, it was obvious how deeply she still loved Ludden decades after his death.
Friends Said Betty White Believed She’d See Him Again
After White’s passing, several friends reflected on how strongly she believed she would reunite with Ludden someday.
Comedian Bob Saget, who was close to White before his own tragic death, shared an emotional Instagram post recalling conversations they had about the afterlife.
According to Saget, White often said she looked forward to seeing the love of her life again when her time came.
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“I don’t know what happens when we die,” Saget wrote at the time, “but if Betty says you get to be with the love of your life, then I happily defer to Betty on this.”
That sentiment probably explains why the story about her final word affected so many people. Even after decades apart, Allen Ludden clearly remained at the center of her heart.
Today, the couple continues to be remembered together. Though White was not buried beside Ludden, their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame sit side-by-side — a quiet reminder of one of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories.
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